Mirror
by CanaanAlshea
Summary: YokoSuichi Fic. How Long Can One Stand Abuse Before They Snap? better than it sounds...I suppose Some HieiKurama and HieiYusuke AU, OOC FINALLY COMPLETE! :D Over 100 reviews! Thank you guys
1. Chapters 1 to 6

MIRROR

CHELSEA WELSH

STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY

Summary-A Yoko/Suichi Fic. How Long Can One Stand Abuse Before They Snap[crappy summary [Some Hiei/Kurama and Hiei/Yusuke

**CHAPTER ONE**

**SUICHI POV**

Some people don't believe me when I say that I have a monster living inside of me. Some think I'm insane, and others think I am lying merely to gain attention, which when you think about it, is completely ridiculous. Why on earth would I make something like this up? I don't know either. Well, one way or another, I am alone again, aside from my darker half; a maniacal kitsune demon who is living inside my body. Yusuke and the others decided it was dangerous to be near me, seeing as I'm "crazy" and all. So, I'm alone again; mother died a few months ago, and I decided to stop going to school. I hate seeing all the sympathetic looks and hear all the conversations; they tell eachother that I've gone off the deep end, that I need help to get back to normal. I do not see any need in being with a bunch of moronic children who have no idea what they are talking about, but think they know everything. So, I spend my days locked up in the darkness of my small home, trying my hardest to stay awake. Whenever I fall asleep, I don't wake up until days later. But, I am not alone, for he is always there.

I speak of Yoko. He does not leave me alone, and his voice is constantly in my head. He says things like how much I deserve to die, how weak I am and how much better everyone would be without me. Perhaps he's right, but I don't want to die. I am lying now on my bed, curtains drawn and light bulb a simple shard of broken glass, hanging from the ceiling. But that's ok; I have come to enjoy the peaceful darkness. But, I do miss the simple pleasure of being able to read a good book. Oh, how I took things for granted. Now, I am grateful for every move I am able to take and every morning I wake up able to breathe.

Forcing myself to get up out of bed, I pull on my clothes, a pair of black slacks and a black chinese-style sleeveless shirt, and tie my hair up to keep it off my neck. I can feel a wave of nausea coming on. Stupid immune system; it's failing again. I'll have to tell my master about that so he doesn't beat me if I pass out on the floor. Trying to even my breathing, I use the wall for support as I make my way down the hall to the kitchen; I should probably boil some water for the tea. If I can that is; Yoko went into another one of his drunken rampages again. I should have gotten used to that by now. Oh wonderful; the floor is spinning beneath me once again, and I know that I really don't have anything for support. I feel my weight being lifted, and I hear the thud of my body hitting the tiles, but I feel no pain. My vision fades in and out for a moment before I cease to feel.

I am awoken by the sound of a cold voice, telling me to get up before my "lazy arse is kicked out the door" and I force my eyes open. He is standing over me, towering and white. His eyes, golden and beautiful, are cold and filled with an undeniable hatred. I find myself being dragged across the floor, him not minding at all that my scalp is almost being ripped off. He throws me into some random corner of the room, and I simply lie there, listening to him pitch every insult he can at me. I feel my eyes burn, as much as I tell myself not to cry. Perhaps he is right; I am a failure if I cannot even stop something so trivial.

I hear his footsteps fade as they go from linoleum to carpet, and I am left alone in the kitchen, door closed and locked and the light bulb, like the one in my room, broken beyond the point of repair. I stare at the ceiling, watching it change colors; white to red to purple and all the colors of the stupid, fuckin' rainbow. I briefly wonder how hard I hit my head, then close my eyes. Why is he leaving me in here? I look around to see all the knives have been taken out; damn. He knew I was thinking about suicide. My hatred for him is growing by the day.

**YOKO POV**

Stupid child. Why does he continue to ignore me? To defy my orders day after day? Do I really need to keep trying to beat some sense into the little brat? He must be a masochist. There is no other plausible explanation aside from stupidity. He's in the kitchen now, just lying there with that same smirk on his face. I really don't know what there is to smile about, aside from the fact that he's still alive. I really should just kill him now, save myself the further annoyance...of course, then those stupid little children he calls friends will call the human authorities, and it will be hell trying to explain how we share a soul. Apparently, humans don't believe in reincarnation and demons. Perhaps they will when the portal opens permanently, and their pathetic world is reduced to a pile of rubble. I will not, however, join in the destruction. I have no interest in getting rid of this species; only Suichi matters to me. His blood, his cries...his life. They all belong to me and they always will. He knows this; he no longer screams or cries unless told to do so. It is almost as if he is a broken doll, but when you look into his eyes, you can still see the small remains of a spark. I hate it; it means there is still a chance for rebellion, and that most certainly would not be acceptable.

His mind has been wandering quite a bit lately. He stands in front of that stupid mirror [the one with the crack in the middle and stares at his thinning form, his pale skin and all the red marks that mar that perfection that has long since faded away. He no longer sees himself as being perfect; he thinks he's worthless and ugly. I know he isn't, but I'm the one that told him those lies. The less you think of yourself, the less likely you are to defend yourself when being beaten and harassed. He thinks he deserves it.

I wonder if he'll ever wake up and realize all the lies that have been fed to him. I doubt it. And even if he does become enlightened, what will he do about it? He got all the power from me, and now that we're separated, he no longer has the ability of manipulation. Though all he could use was earth. He doesn't know that I can use all 4 of the elements. [The major ones, that is. My mother was able to use lightening and wind; an interesting combination. My father could summon smoke and use plants, but only the poisonous ones. But, I am getting off topic. Either way, he's helpless. Whether or not he realizes this is irrelevant. Poor little Suichi.

Oh Inari, he's talking to himself again. I really should get him out of that habit; people might start to think he's not right in the head, and having him in a mental hospital does me absolutely no good. Walking into his room, I see him sitting on the floor, staring at that stupid picture of his human mother. She's dead now. He needs to accept that and move on. I would get rid of that stupid photo myself, but I don't really have the heart to. I really did love her; she was the only one who [despite that fact that she didn't know who I was showed me any kindness. I walk into the room, but he fails to take notice of my presence. I kneel behind him, and he jumps when I touch his shoulder. Whether it was from surprise, pain, or a bit of both I don't really know, nor do I care. He scrambles backwards, not taking his eyes off me and his breathing is slightly off. How sweet; he's afraid of me. Good; fear is the first step into permanent submission.

He's still staring, and I smile at him, "What's the matter, Shuu-chan? Do you think I'm going to hurt you?" He says nothing, but the look in his eyes is an obvious 'yes.' I chuckle, and pull him into my arms. He shivers, hands fisting into the front of my tunic. He shakes his head, whispering something in Latin. He does that when under a high amount of stress. Suichi is such an odd little ningen... I massage his back, and he tenses further; I almost think he's going to snap in two from the pressure. A small whine escapes his lips, and he shakes his head again. "Relax, Shuu-chan." He forces himself to do so, becoming lax in my arms. I run my fingers through his hair, startling white against blood red. I always have loved his hair; so pretty and soft, with little curls at the very end. His skin is pale and cold, a porcelain doll that is mine to hold and mine to break. He knows this, and his fear is painfully obvious. It's hard to believe that he and I are part of the same body...

**CHAPTER TWO**

**SUICHI POV**

He's holding me...it's been so long since I've felt warmth. I can feel his hands slowly running up and down my back, tracing my spine and ribs and sending shivers through my whole body. He pulls my shirt up over my head, despite my silent protests. He's going to hurt me again. His lips are on my neck, attacking my throat with harsh bites and his nails rake up and down my back. I can feel the blood before the pain comes, and when it does, it tears me apart. He smacks me for making a small cry before pushing me onto the floor and straddling my hips. He leans in close to my ear, "Don't scream, or I'll tear out your vocal chords." He sounds almost...cheerful. I can only nod while he tears my clothes off and the pain comes back.

I'm a mere few moments away from a breakdown at this point. It hurts, physically and emotionally. He's whispering in my ear now, insults that I don't know if they are true or not. He's calling me worthless; a slut who can't do anything right. I cried while he raped me, something I was told never to do. A smile crosses my face, and he looks disgusted. I must look crazy; I've just been raped and I'm smiling. "You disgusting boy," he says before kicking me onto the ribs. I slowly part my lips and start to sing. I know he hates it when I do, but oh well. I have already disgraced him, what else can he do to me? He cocks his head to one side and listens to my voice as I try to calm myself, and then he stalks out of the room. I am left alone once more.

I look at my reflection in the broken mirror; I'm hideous. Bruises color my pale skin with blacks and blues and yellows and greens. Gashes stand out, bright red and some infected. I wonder if anyone would care if they knew. Probably not. I suddenly find myself thinking of my old "friends." Yusuke and Kuwabarra; how they always fought over the stupidest little things. Yusuke could make me smile, something that was very hard to do, and still is. Hiei; the one I loved but never worked up the courage to tell him. He would have probably called me a baka and left. Why would he want someone like me as a lover in the first place?

**NORMAL POV**

Suichi jumped when he heard a soft, dark chuckle from behind him. He spun to see his demon, a small smirk on pale lips, "Wallowing in self-pity again, are we?" The redhead said nothing, stood silent and still. Slowly, he was drawn into a soft embrace, the kitsune gently stroking his hair and kissing his lips delicately. It was like Suichi would break if he was too harsh. He didn't want that. [[Why is he holding me again? What's he planning? "Suichi," he whispered against the boy's lips, "Tell me; what are you?" At the questioning glance, he repeated himself, "What are you?" Yoko smirked then added, "Look me in the eyes and say it." The redhead started shaking again, then he did as ordered and looked into the eyes, a brilliant shade of gold like the midday sun. "I am...nothing," he whispered, not tearing his gaze away for even a second. A soft chuckle, and a kiss before he released the boy, leaving him in the darkness of his room...

Suichi sighed as he watched the second hand of the clock.

Tick...tick...tick. He was waiting for Yoko to come home. Pulling his knees to his chest, he didn't take his eyes off the ticking device other than the occasional glance to the door. It was half past eleven...where was he? He felt his eyes sting, but he refused to let the tears fall. Biting his lip, he walked into the kitchen and decided to make dinner. He hadn't eaten at all today. He ate until he was full...but for some reason unknown to him, he didn't stop. Food somehow brought comfort.

Tick...tick...tick...the clock chimed 11:45, but he didn't stop. Ten minutes later, the plate he had filled was empty and he smiled softly before walking into the bathroom. He put a finger to the back of his throat, and the food came up in a few moments later. Finally, all that came up was bile and he laughed through the tears. That shouldn't have felt good...why did it? Standing, he flushed the toilet and rinsed his mouth with the minty liquid. He heard the door open and he immediately left the bathroom, practically running into the towering white figure that was his master. "What's wrong, Shuu-chan?" The voice was calm, mocking. The ningen straightened immediately, "Nothing Yoko-sama." "Lies," the calm tone had vanished, replaced with an angry hiss. Suichi flinched and wrapped his arms around his stomach, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. "I'm just tired..." Yoko wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, pulling him to his chest and letting his heartbeat soothe the boy into stillness. "Shh...what did you do to yourself, Shuu-chan? I can see how weak you are..." Suichi wanted to scream in frustration; he was starting to feel dizzy and his vision was blurred. "I...threw up," Suichi hesitated, "I made myself throw up." He expected a smack to the face, to be shoved away...instead a gentle hand ran through his hair, and Yoko just started humming. Kurama blinked, slightly confused, but didn't argue.

SUICHI POV

Why do I suddenly miss Yusuke? Why do I long for his gentle touches and understanding smiles? I haven't spoken to him in so long...does he miss me as much as I am missing him? Does he even remember me? Yoko's holding me in his arms now, and I can't do anything but stand here and try my hardest not to pass out from fear. I'm afraid he's going to go crazy and start hitting me again. I hate it when he does that; usually he's careful not to leave a mark on my face, but when he goes into that stage, he's just screaming at me and hitting me. His hand runs through my hair and then he walks away. I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding and then go to my room. I sit there and stare at the picture of myself and Yusuke; his arm was around my shoulder and he was grinning. A tear runs down my cheek and lands on the glass silently, sticking to the sky behind us. I wipe it off quickly and set the frame back under my mattress where Yoko won't get to it. If he were to see it, it would go into the trash with the rest of most of my belongings. He only allowed me to keep the essentials; clothes, shampoos etc. Anything I didn't need, he threw out. Except for my mother's locket, which I keep around my neck and tucked under my shirt so he can't get to it...

**CHAPTER THREE**

**NORMAL POV**

Suichi jumped when he felt cold hands encircle his neck the next morning. Soft breath in his ear before the whispered, "It's time to wake up now." Slowly, he nodded and opened his eyes, staring at the wall before him and waiting for his demon to leave. It didn't happen. "I'm awake," he rasped, and the white haired figure backed away, eyeing the boy as he sat up. Pale skin with blood red hair spilling down a slim back and over his shoulders. He looked at the visible collarbone and ribs and inwardly smiled; he was getting so thin. Not that the boy would ever believe that...not with all the lies Yoko had been giving him.

Suichi shifted nervously as those golden eyes started traveling across his skin. Goosebumps began appearing and he wanted nothing more than to hide in his closet again. Of course...the last time he did that he had a broken rib and several bruises from the beating he had received. He had a hell of a time hiding all that from his peers and teachers. One reason why he didn't go to school anymore; people would get suspicious eventually. A smack to the face pulled him out of his reminiscence and he looked into the eyes of his demon. Judging from the way his tail was swishing, he was irritated with something. "I asked you a question, child." Suichi swallowed, "Gomen Yoko-sama. I...was thinking." Golden eyes rolled in annoyance, "I asked you what's going on. You're acting stranger than usual." The redhead just shrugged, "My stomach hurts." The fox smiled ever so slightly, though his eyes were still cold, and pulled the human into his arms. Suichi tensed immediately, mentally begging to be let go. The white demon abruptly smacked him across either side of his face, "Stop." That one word made the redhead freeze. 'How could he have known?' Soft laughter, and Yoko ran his fingers through the blood red hair, tucking a lock behind his ex-vessel's ear. Abruptly, he fisted a handful and yanked the boy to his feet. "I have a surprise for you, Shuu-chan."

The ningen found himself thrown on the bed before he could blink, and light weight was settled on his hips. The white being leaned forward until his lips were a hair away from his other's, "You're so pretty, my Suichi." He trembled, but did not pull away as soft lips touched his own in a breath of a kiss. He didn't dare flinch, didn't make a single sound as a forceful, yet soft, kiss was placed on his lips. 'What did I do...?' He folded his arms over his still aching stomach, resisting the urge to bite down on the others tongue as it probed gently inside his mouth. As quickly as it started, however, it was over. He opened his eyes to see Yoko walking out the door, a triumphant smirk on his face as he twirled a strand of white hair around his finger, "I have some business to take care of. You will stay in this house, you will not answer the phone and you will keep the door locked. Then he left.

Suichi nibbled gently on his lip as he listened to the silence as he was left alone again. He drummed his fingers slowly on the arm of the recliner he was sitting on. Tick...tick...tick. His eyebrow twitched slightly in irritancy as he contemplated throwing something heavy at it just to have some peace and quiet...but Yoko wouldn't be too happy about that. He jumped at the sound of the clock chiming; Yoko had been gone for an hour already? That was surprising; though the proof was when he stood, his legs were asleep. The red-haired teen closed and locked the door of the bathroom, mostly out of habit, and pulled open a drawer. Inside, was a single, thin blade, stained with blood but still shining with the dim lighting of the bulb flickering above his head. He bit his lip lightly [he seemed to be doing that alot lately and rolled up his sleeve to reveal several thin lines; some white with the age of a scar, some still red from the recent caress of the whisp of metal that was currently being held between his fingers. Silently, carefully, he reopened the scars and blood dribbled down onto the tile, a blooming red flower on the stark white of the marble. An eerily soft smile came to his lips and he repeated the process...

A loud knock on the door shattered the dream world Suichi had entered and he was forced back to a painful reality, face to face with a small puddle of blood on his floor, and red staining his fingers. He swore and sat quietly, waiting for who ever was at his door to just go away. "Kurama?" His breath hitched and the metal blade fell to the linoleum with an almost deafening sound. 'Hiei...?' The cut stung more than it should; he gripped it with his opposite hand, feeling the sticky, hot crimson over his fingers. The lock clicked and Suichi cursed himself for teaching the fire demon that little trick. He couldn't hear anything outside the blood pounding in his ears at that moment and he quietly ran upstairs to hide in the closet. 'Why am I hiding from him?' Shivers ran up and down his spine as he heard Hiei's voice again. "I know your in here, Kurama...I can feel it." 'Though your youki is still gone, there's still reiki...' Hiei found that to be odd, if not frightening. He looked around the living room; immaculately clean as always. Cocking a brow, he looked at the book on the table; creepy poetry as usual. He wondered why Kurama's ki was going mad lately, and he walked silently up the stairs, freezing before his foot hit the final step; blood...the scent was thick in the air. "Kurama?!"

"Why are you yelling, Hiei?" The fire demon looked over to the staircase to see 'Kurama', a small smile on his face and the same glimmer in his eyes. He was leaning against the wall, arms behind his back. "I smelled blood." The redhead chuckled, "I was cooking earlier and got a small cut over my finger. It's really nothing to be concerned about. Would you like some tea?" Speechless, all Hiei could do was nod. He watched the fox pour some water from a kettle into a mug. It had an odd color to it, considering it was green tea. "I think I brewed it a bit too long, but it tastes fine," Suichi handed him the cup and sat down smoothly, legs crossed and hands set lightly on his lap. Hiei sipped the beverage, not taking his eyes off the redhead before him. He was...different somehow. His aura said he was highly stressed, and there was a sadness in his eyes, yet there was smile on his face. "Fox?" Suichi twitched a bit at the nickname, but looked up never the less, "Yes Hiei?" "Are you feeling alright?" Suichi nodded, "My head hurts a little, but it's nothing to worry about." Brown-red eyes narrowed, but Hiei said nothing further on the subject. Suichi was finding it harder to keep the mask up, but he somehow succeeded. The fire youkai set his cup on the coaster so not to leave a mark, and Suichi sat beside him on the couch. The redhead suddenly felt all the feelings he had tried so hard to suppress coming back in a rush; like being dunked in cold water and held there until he was ready to pass out. He swallowed and felt his cheeks turn bright red when Hiei did the one thing he never showed to anyone else but him; he smiled.

Suichi never knew he could blush so many times in one day, and he was surprised he had enough blood to do so. But all the blood-loss did not stop the bright red color to flood his cheeks when Hiei kissed his forehead, telling him he would be back some time soon and to take care of himself. The ningen stood there now, looking at himself in the mirror and trying his hardest to bring his face back to it's normal color. He jumped when he saw a shadow appear behind him, and snapped his head around to look right into the golden eyes of Yoko. "Was someone here, Shuu-chan?" He shook his head, unable to find his voice to answer him properly. The demon cocked a white brow, clicking his teeth as he nodded, though obviously did not believe his weaker half. "Ne...Yoko-san...would you like supper now?" A noncommittal shrug was his answer. Jade eyes watched tensely as his demon walked over to him and those cold eyes scrutinized him agonizingly slow. Suichi walked away without another word and decided to make soup for dinner...

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**THAT NIGHT**

Yoko smirked and held back the urge to laugh as he listened to his opposite scream in terror as he was gripped in the clutches of yet another nightmare. Those had become more and more frequent lately, and Yoko had a suspicion it was about him, considering the fact that Suichi was constantly begging and screaming for mercy and for 'it' to stop. The clock ticked away, going from 1:02 to one 1:15 and the human in the room next to him was beginning to grow hoarse. Golden eyes slid shut as he was lulled to a light sleep by the comforting sounds of terror emitting from his ningen. 'I'll have to punish him for this later...' he mused to himself. He really didn't care that he wasn't sleeping, seeing as he was an insomniac, but it gave him an excuse to beat his other to a pulp...like he needed one. He stalked slowly down the hall, listening to the sound of Suichi whimper and cry out. He opened the door and saw him tossing about, the blankets all on the floor with the sheets tangled around his legs. The redhead was occasionally whimpering and asking for someone to "stop it" and "go away". The demon laughed and smoothed blood red hair from a bone white forehead, a lovely contrast in his opinion, and kissed the flawless skin. Suichi twitched and opened his eyes, pupils dilating as they lay upon who had awoken him. "Yoko-san," he said quietly, voice [for once steady, "Is there something wrong?" The demon shook his head, white hair falling over his shoulder to tickle the human's face, "Hush," was all he said before he leaned down and captured those red lips with his own. The scent of fear was still thick on Suichi, and he was, for lack of a better term, receiving a high from it. Slowly, Yoko straddled the slim hips and tightly gripped Suichi's wrists in one hand, holding them above his head...

SUICHI POV

I couldn't breathe. Combine terror with broken ribs and a demon all but sitting on your stomach and you have hyperventilation. My vision was going in and out of focus, but he didn't notice or didn't care. He was grinning in a not surprisingly vulpine way, the large canines glinting in the dim lighting of the moon overhead. I tried to take a steady breath and almost succeeded...until his hand went up my shirt and stroked my chest. "Shuu-chan," he cooed, "My pretty little Shuu-chan." I closed my eyes; I didn't want to look. I didn't want to see him!

His breath was hot against my throat and he let go of my wrist, uttering the word 'stay' before my shirt came off. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to pretend I was somewhere, _anywhere _but with him. Blood trickled down my neck and he sighed, almost as if receiving a high off it. He's a demon, so it's not entirely impossible...

His hand trailed down my chest, raising goose bumps in its wake, and he stopped at the waistband of my sleeping pants. I trembled and tried to ask him to stop, but my voice refused to cooperate and I was completely exposed to his hungry golden eyes. I wasn't aware I was crying until his hand abruptly made contact with the side of my face and he ordered my to stop my childish whimpering. He then proceeded to wipe away the salty trails on my cheeks. I thought he had stopped. A foolish hope, indeed. I shivered uncontrollably as I was raped yet again by my demon...

**YOKO ****POV**

Suichi slept calmly beneath me, face stained with tears and the back of his legs were bloody. Angry red marks were beginning to appear on his skin from the abuse I had inflicted upon him. Odd that I don't remember scratching him...

I notice a slight glint in the darkness of the room and a smile comes to my lips when I realize what hangs around the neck of my little Suichi. My long nail traces his throat before I hold the little heart-shaped golden locket that once belonged to Shiori Minamino. Smirking, I wonder how long he had planned to keep it from me. I open it carefully and see a picture of the woman on one side...and Hiei on the other. I hold back the laughter bubbling in my chest; so my little human has a crush, does he? How nauseatingly sweet! Carefully I undo the little clasp in the back and hold the necklace in my hand, wondering how he'll react when I burn the pictures inside then sell the trinket at a market. He'll probably go back into that annoying little shell he'd made around himself before I broke it. The one that keeps everything inside until it's too much and he snaps. That will be fun to watch...

**NORMAL POV: ****Next Day ****At**** Genkai's Temple...**

Hiei rolled his eyes and sighed as he listened to Yusuke and Kuwabarra argue over a video game score. He himself didn't understand the concept of them, but it was something most of these human teenagers seemed to enjoy...so he accepted it as part of the human stupidity. "Hey, dwarf." His eyebrow twitched as the old woman called him by the most loathed nickname, but looked over at her anyways and grunted a 'what' in acknowledgment. She lit a cigarette and, after a moment, asked how Kurama was. Not unlike himself, Hiei cocked a brow and asked "How the hell should I know?" She just smirked at him and he felt the heat rise in his cheeks. So the old woman knew, did she? "He's...been better," was all he said. He wasn't lying; obviously there was _something_ wrong with Kurama...he just didn't know what. And if there was one thing he hated, it was not knowing things...

**With Kurama...**

Yoko cocked a brow as he watched his human clean the windows, the strong scent of the blue liquid burning his nose. For once, he cursed his sensitive nose and, calmly, he walked over and smacked Suichi upside the head. The bottle of Windex fell to the floor with a dull 'thud' and Suichi's hands flew to his head and he cried out, not registering who it was until he looked into the cold golden eyes. "Yoko-san, what's wrong?" The demon glowered at him beneath white brows, "Put that wretched liquid away." Biting his lip, Suichi wiped the window once more before dropping the cleaning cloth to the floor and putting the Windex back underneath the sink. "Gomen, Yoko-sama." He really didn't know why he was apologizing...he was doing just what he was supposed to on Sundays...

Yoko glared daggers at the door when a loud knocking sound echoed through the den. He opened his mouth to shout for whoever it was to get the hell off his doorstep, but he stopped when he heard a familiar voice say "Kurama, open up!" 'Yusuke' he thought and stalked over to the wooden door. He opened it a crack, "Go away." And then he slammed it without a second thought. Suichi was standing there with wide eyes, "Ne...Yoko-san?" "What?" he snapped and Suichi almost didn't say anything. "May I talk to Yusuke?" The demon gave a sigh and walked away, "Do what you will."

Suichi made sure to harden his eyes and features before opening his door and he greeted the human with a tone of indifference; "Yusuke, what can I do for you?" The human blinked before giving his usual somewhat goofy grin and slapped Suichi across the back, right on a rather painful bruise. "Hey Kurama. You haven't been around lately." The redhead was smiling, but there was a certain sadness that lingered in his eyes that made Yusuke worry. But he didn't say anything of it and instead slung one arm around the redhead's shoulder, not noticing the violent flinch Suichi gave.

**SUICHI POV**

What's wrong with me? I know that Yusuke would never intentionally harm me...yet I flinched away from him in reflex. I can practically hear Yoko's laughter in my ear, his voice calling me a foolish child...one of his nicer nicknames for me. After a moment I realized that we were still standing outside. "I'm sorry Yusuke; would you like to come in?"

Something was...off about him. He kept looking at me, and then his eyes would wander slowly around the room, like he was looking for someone. "You feelin' alright?" I smiled and nodded, asking why he thought any different. My heart pounded against my ribcage when he said my ki was going 'berserk' as he put it. I had forgotten that people could sense such things...I've been away from them too long. He could sense that Yoko was no longer a part of me.

A muffled voice sounds inside my head, leaving it throbbing as my demon screams something incoherently. More than likely he's telling me to get him out of the house. So I do as I'm told, and tell him I have a headache and he stands. Smiling, Yusuke was about to leave but he stopped at the door, hand on the brass knob, "Hey 'Rama?" I looked at him. "If you ever need anyone..." He trailed off there, more than likely his pride stopping him from saying anything else. I nodded and smiled, "Thank you." Then he left...

**NORMAL POV**

Golden eyes glimmered as he watched Suichi close the door, then slide down to the floor sobbing not two seconds later. "Aw," the demon cooed mockingly, "Is my little hikari feeling lonely?" The ningen just shook his head, unable to form words through the lump in his throat. A soft chuckle met his ears and he looked up to see Yoko with a whiskey bottle to his lips. "Your pathetic, Suichi." Said human didn't say anything, but his head lowered slightly and his eyes were fixed on the hardwood floors. He listened to the soft footsteps and a cold hand was placed beneath his chin and his face was raised. He looked into the golden eyes, shimmering in what he assumed to be sadistic amusement. "Shuu-chan...haven't you been listening to me?" Slowly, the demon leaned down and whispered into his hikari's ear;

"No one loves you..."

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**SUICHI POV**

His voice was circling around in my head, those four words repeating in a heartbreaking mantra. It hurts because I know he's right. It doesn't matter how much I deny it, tell myself it's a lie...he's always right because he is a kitsune demon...he is superior to me in every way and he has never been wrong...

I look in the mirror and I'm surprised to see little streams on my face. I don't recall the sting of tears in my eyes, yet the evidence of shedding them is right there. I wipe them away and rinse my face so I don't get hit for my weakness.

Why would Yusuke lie to me? He said he would be here...but would he really? Would he turn on me if he knew I'm no longer who he had befriended? I'm not 'Kurama' anymore. Everything I was came from Yoko so when we separated I became a different person. A weaker person...

With a sigh, I turn on the sink and wash my face of the redness and tears. When I raise my head to look in the mirror, he's standing right behind me, smirking. He doesn't utter a word, but the look in his eyes is enough to tell me what he's thinking; I told you so. [Well, perhaps his words would be more eloquent "Please Yoko," I mutter, "Don't say it." He looks at me with false innocence and puts a hand to his chest, "Me? Why I haven't said a thing!" He grins and walks away after hitting the back of my head.

**NORMAL POV **

His eyes were hard as they stared at the reflection in the mirror. Dark circles beneath emerald eyes, scratches, scars, cuts and bruises covering every bit of skin uncovered. Suichi wanted to break the mirror; he never wanted to look at himself again. His eyes fell to the ground, at the little drops of red tainting the white tiles of his bathroom floor. He had forgotten to clean the blood...

"Damn you," he whispered. Yoko was gone again, most likely stealing or murdering anyone within his range of ability...which was everyone in the Ningenkai. The only sound was the quiet ticking of his clock. He wanted to throw the damn thing against the wall, but then he wouldn't know the hour...and watching that clock helped him keep sane. When Yoko decided to nail wood over the windows, keeping the house dark 24/7, his only evidence that time had not stopped was that irritating little clock.

Slowly, he slid down the wall to sit on the bathroom floor, legs pulled to his chest while his cheek rested on his kneecaps. He stared at the wall, the white almost giving him a headache. He thought of Hiei and Yusuke and all the others he had once considered his friends and family. Suichi knew that they despised him, feared him and wished him to die. They were liars, all of them. No one cared...

He thought back to his mother and the days before Yoko had gained a body and they had separated. He remembered being happy and not having to fear for his life in his own _home._ Slowly, his hands went to his head and he gripped his hair, feeling sharp pain in his scalp but not caring. It was driving him mad, this feeling of loss and abandonment. A shimmering piece of metal caught his attention and his teeth sank into his lower lip. He didn't want to start cutting again...he didn't!

But, sure enough, his fingers wrapped around the little make-shift blade and he turned his arm so the pale underside was revealed, blue veins standing out brightly beneath his skin. It wouldn't take much to die...just a quick flick of the wrist and all the life would leave him. But he was afraid. Not afraid of dying, but afraid of the placement afterwards. He certainly didn't want to be sentenced to Hell. Suichi slowly dragged the blade along his arm, not enough to hit anything vital...but blood dribbled down and landed on the floor without a noise.

A small, empty smile made it's way onto his lips and he suddenly felt more alive than ever. Pain was proving that he was not dead yet, that he wasn't just a toy for the demon in his home...that he was still a person.

'That's right...keep telling yourself that.'

His head snapped up, bright red hair landing around his face and shoulders as he looked at the kitsune above him...literally. Yoko was in his fox form and had somehow perched on the counter without Suichi noticing. The kitsune's five tails were wrapped around his small body, the golden eyes revealing a sick sort of happiness as he watched the human mutilate himself. Noiselessly, Yoko jumped and landed on the tiled floor, the fur on the back of his neck rising in a slight snarl. He ran one of his tails over Suichi's face before leaving.

The human could hear the laughter in his head, though he tried to ignore it. Yoko had just caught him in the middle of self mutilation and he hadn't done a thing about it. He could have _died_ in that bathroom and Yoko would have been laughing. Shaking, Suichi bandaged his wounds and changed into his pajamas, decided to sit on the couch and read to calm himself.

He decided to read 'Foundation' by Isaac Asimov. A relatively good science-fiction book he had picked up recently. He hadn't gotten past the first chapter when there was heat on the back of his neck. Yoko was, literally, breathing down his neck while sitting on the arm of the sofa. The fox soundlessly [he seemed to be good at that climbed onto his human-side's lap and curled up there, relishing in the fear he felt coming off in waves from the boy. Slowly, Suichi closed the book and hesitantly touched the top of the fox's head. A soft purr was the only response and, once sure his hand would not be bitten off, he pet the one who was once threatening to murder him...

**CHAPTER SIX **

Yoko had fallen asleep, but Suichi was still wide awake, afraid of being attacked in his sleep...or not waking up at all if he _did _fall asleep. There was a soft vibration against his leg as the demon purred, sounding so harmless. He almost laughed at the absurdity of the thought, but he decided it would be best not to wake him. He winced as Yoko shifted and weight was put on a bruise. He could hear the blood pounding in his ears and his heart beating his ribcage. He hoped that Yoko couldn't...

The purring had stopped. Slowly, the human looked down and found himself staring right into golden eyes. He almost apologized for waking him, but he noticed that Yoko did not look at all angry. He didn't look sad or happy either...it's like he was looking right through Suichi. "Yoko, are you alright?" Despite everything, the redhead couldn't help but feel worried at the extreme change. The youkai didn't respond, didn't move...he just kept staring. He looked almost dead and Suichi found it unnerving. He repeated the question earlier asked and, this time, received a snarl as a response. He shut his mouth quickly and it did so with a snap. He briefly wondered why Yoko was acting so different, but said nothing on the subject. He decided it was best to just enjoy these moments when he was not being beaten or mocked.

"Suichi" a deep voice made the redhead look up from his book. He saw the now normal Yoko standing there and he said, "Go to the basement."

**SUICHI POV **

My heart almost stopped when he said those words. A chill went up my spine and I shut the book and stiffly walked towards the door that led to our basement. I stared numbly at the chains attached to the far wall. Those weren't there before. He shoved me against the wall and put my wrists in the cuffs. My arms were now chained above my head and I could feel sharp pain in my shoulders from where the muscle was being stretched. I didn't make a sound and didn't grimace. I didn't want him to hit me...

He left for a moment and I could feel the blood pounding in my ears. My heart beat my ribcage and he came back with a smirk. I looked at him then down to his hands. I felt like crying...

Matches. He had gotten the matches again.

"What's the matter, Shuu-chan?" he said in a sickeningly calm, sweet voice, "Don't you want to play a game with me?" I shook my head. No no no no no! I don't want to play games! I don't want to be hurt again. I felt my chin quaver and my eyes burn. I prayed to the God I had given up on. 'Don't let him hurt me...' He must have heard my thoughts because he laughed and stroked my cheek. The white demon before me lit the match and held it close to my face; not enough to burn but enough so I could feel the heat from it. My breath starts coming in short little gasps and tears are on my face. He touched me with the flame;

I shrieked.

He had lit the seventh before I started begging for mercy. I told him I would be a good boy. I wouldn't talk, I wouldn't cry anymore. I promised never to gain any more weight, never to talk to anyone. He just laughed and put the flames out against my skin. By the twelfth there were tears on my face and I started to get the hiccups. They separated my words and my voice was already hoarse. He smacked me and said, "Shut up you bitch." I bit my lip so hard it bled as he continued burning me, changing the timing between each and then the pressure of the match on my skin just to see how long it would take before I broke. Fifteen and I started getting dizzy. I lost count after that...

"Please," I said through my chapped and bleeding lips, "No more." Burns and whiplashes and cuts decorated my body. He smirked, dropping the bloodied whip to the floor with a thud. He had changed my position so I was facing the wall, my back shredded. His hands gently wrapped around each of my biceps and he leaned in close to whisper in my ear, "Had enough, have you?" One hand went up to pet my hair, "Are you ready to be a good boy?" I nodded weakly, wondering if he was just toying with me.

The clink of my chains coming undone was the only warning I had before I fell to the floor with a moan of pain. I was too weak to scream. My hands clenched into fists, and I whimpered as hhe stroked my back. "What have we learned?"

It took me a moment to get my voice from inside my throat. I swallowed once and said, "I'll be good." I listened to the sound of him chuckling, a rumble in his chest. Then the footsteps faded and the stairs creaked. I was left alone in the darkness while I bled out onto the floor...


	2. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN 

"So pretty when you bleed..." Yoko smiled as he ran his icy hands along the torn back of his light. Suichi was unconscious, emerald eyes half open and a fine misty color. His lips were parted and his breath rattled in his chest. He looked so beautiful.

Slowly the demon touched his finger to the chapped lips, sticky from the dried blood. "If your like this living," he murmured, hand moving up to run through the soft red hair, "What will you be like when everything has left you?" With that question, he kissed Suichi's fevered brow and left with a slight smile on his face.

SUICHI POV I began to shiver when the door shut with a click. What was he planning? Did he know I was unconscious? Is he just toying with my mind again? All the questions and sick images ran through my head. Like an old movie, I saw myself being tormented while his laughter echoed. There was no way out...I wanted to cry. Instead, when I parted my lips, laughter bubbled up from within my chest and it rang shrilly in the air. I couldn't stop...

It died down minutes later, but the grin was still on my face. I forced myself to move and barely kept myself from screaming as I sat up. Sluggishly, I looked down at the burns that were a dark red against my chest, and I briefly wondered what my back looked like. I shook my head to get rid of that image. I didn't want to know...it hurt badly enough. Silently I stood and tested the doorknob, my brow furrowing when I found it unlocked...

NORMAL POV Suichi didn't ponder longer than a moment as to why the fox had not locked the door. He instead decided to take the good fortune and sneak into the bathroom. He faced away from the mirror and craned his neck, an empty smile appearing at what he saw. His back was indeed hanging off him, shredded and bloodied. "Yoko...why did you do this?" He didn't dare make a sound. He couldn't hear anything, but that didn't mean the kitsune had gone out yet. He could be hiding in the shadows...

Paranoia seeped into his mind and slowly, ever so slowly, Suichi turned his whole body to peer into the shadows of the hallway before him. Every little movement caught his eye, made him jump; he didn't consider that it could only be his imagination. That was far too risky. Shaking violently he turned the lights off and crept into his bedroom.

The mattress creaked as he sat down and he whipped his head around, "Yoko?" Nothing. The teen exhaled, forcing his racing thoughts to slow down as he pulled a plain button-up shirt on, not caring that it was white. It didn't occur to him until he was half-way through fastening it that he didn't put the 'sama' at the end of his dark's name. This made his blood run cold. Such a bold act could very well be the end of his life. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, he looked at his reflection in the tall mirror across from him.

His eyes had lost their luster, now a faded and dull green. His skin was pale, unhealthily so and you could clearly see how little he had to eat. Suichi turned his head away; he didn't want to look at what he had become a moment longer. He wondered if he should risk cleaning his wounds.

"Well well...look who decided to risk coming out?" Suichi froze, head bowed and hands clenched into fists when he felt hot breath tickling the back of his neck. Yoko's cold hands touched his hips before sneaking up the front of his shirt. "Have you healed yet?" A stifled groan was his answer; his golden eyes sparkled sadistically.

"Poor, weak little human," he cooed, "How long do you think you'll last? After all...you only survive because I allow it..." The words dripped with amusement and sadism; Suichi wondered if the demon was insane. When Yoko's nails dug deeply into his fresh wounds and the laughter echoed in the small room, his question was answered. "Look at the mirror, Suichi..."

The human slowly did as he was told, eyes dull and body trembling. Perhaps from cold, perhaps from fear...maybe it was a combination of both. Yoko's white, boney fingers travelled slowly down his shirt, unbuttoning it to reveal the scarred and burnt flesh beneath. "Do you remember when we were still one? When you were a perfect little porcelain doll?" Cold lips moved to kiss the side of Suichi's neck. "All that is gone now..." the kitsune continued, "Everything, even who you are, is different for you, all because of me..." he bit on the soft flesh between the shoulder and neck, making the human cry out in pain and surprise, "I wonder...how far I can push you before you break?"

Then, with a kiss on the cheek, Suichi was left alone. His trembling legs gave out as he collapsed on the hard floor beneath him. 'What am I supposed to do...even being near him has me paralyzed.' He closed his eyes, "I can't escape from him..."

**A/N:** _Sorry this chapter is so short...I wanted to end it there. I'll try to update soon...  
October 10, 1:06 pm_


	3. Chapter 8

[A/N: If it's italicized, it means Suichi is speaking Latin...

Yoko sighed as he locked the basement door behind him after making completely sure his 'pet' couldn't get out. He tucked the key, which hung on a chain, safely beneath his white shirt and stepped outside, unaffected by the bitter cold that meant snow would be coming soon. He smirked; good. He liked the cold. Quickly, only a white flash to any other demon and invisible to humans, he made his way to the portal. Being an +A class demon, it was often difficult to get through, but somehow he always managed. Koenma's guards' stood there, leaning against the tree, sound asleep. This was almost too easy...

'It's good to be home' he mused to himself. The smells were the same as always; not much cleaner than the ningenkai, but it was a different kind of smell...it was his home. He pulled a cloak on so as not to attract attention. There was no way you could miss a white Yoko, after all. He quickly made his way to what was once his favourite bar...

Yoko ignored the dull ache in his heart as he sipped casually on a Makai brew; much stronger than anything you'd find in human world. He remembered coming here with Kuronue to these places; they way they would flirt casually with any attractive males [and the occasional female they could find. The deep talks they would have and the one time they were truly alone; the one time they could let their walls down and be able to be themselves. Quickly, he shook his head, silver locks falling over his thin shoulders as he took a deep swallow from his glass. He looked to the bar tender, "Another"

**WITH SUICHI**  
He couldn't sleep, couldn't bring himself to relax. He was paranoid, afraid of Yoko coming in and beating him senseless the moment he let his guard down. He was so tense it was painful, teeth clicking together repeatedly as he shivered. The redhead didn't even bother to try the door; he'd heard the unnaturally loud click as it was locked. Like a tomb being sealed; a prison he couldn't escape. "_I'm going to die here..."_ he whispered to himself, "_He's going to let me die_..." He rocked back and forth, his tone taking on a hysterical edge, "_But I don't want to die! ...Why me? Why is this happening to me_?!"

His breathing became erratic, pupils dilating with fear as he imagined all the horrible things that could, and very well could, happen to him down here. He could starve to death...he could be eaten by rats. Did Yoko intend to keep him here to torment him then kill him when he was on the very edge of his sanity? 'Maybe it would be better if I died...'

His own thoughts scared him...did he really think that? 'Hiei...please...help me...' His body was painfully tensed and he attempted to force himself to relax, only succeeding in making himself even more nervous. He didn't even notice when the tears started trickling steadily down his face...

**WITH YOKO.**  
What seemed like twelve glasses later [perhaps it was... Yoko's vision was like a child's watercolor painting; a blur of color with no distinguishable characteristics. His thoughts were slow, a rare occasion, and everything was a roar in his ears. He felt arms around his waist, and he heard a muffled voice in his ear, "I think your drunk, pretty fox." "Hm...y'think so, eh?" Hot breath ghosted across his neck and, slowly, he turned to find himself staring into a pair of stunning violet eyes...

**SUICHI **  
Blood ran steadily down his fingers from where the skin had split open. Yet he still pounded his fist against the door, screaming incoherently. He didn't want to be here...! He was going mad...literally insane. The human closed his eyes, trying to block out the deep voice talking in his head. He could only make out bits and pieces of it; "..matter with you...get out...there..." It sounded cold, cruel...was the voice telling him that he wasn't going to escape? "I know!" he whispered, sinking to his knees, "Please...just go away." The voice just got louder; it was screaming at him now.

"Stupid fox!" "I'm not a fox! ...Go find Yoko, that's who your looking for." His voice was raspy from screaming, his head pounded and his throat ached for water. Not surprisingly, the voice still did not fade away. It spoke more gently now; he could hear it in the tone. "Be okay...don't gi...up...promise?" He nodded; 'I won't give in to him' He didn't bother to stop and ponder the fact that he was talking to a voice in his head.

But...he couldn't shake the feeling that it sounded familiar, somehow...

"_I promise_..."

A/N: Yet another short chapter. Can anyone guess who the two unnamed people are[the voice and the person at the bar You'll know soon, if you don't already!


	4. Chapter 9

**slight spoiler...this chapter reveils a softer side of Yoko...**

'K...' Yoko stared in disbelief at who stood before him, 'Ku-chan...'. Immediately, he seemed to sober slightly. Indeed; the bat demon stood before him, in the flesh. In all his glory. He hadn't changed since that day...that fateful heist where he had, or so he'd thought, lost his partner. "Hey Yoko," he said with a wink, "Haven't seen you for quite some time." The white-haired demon could only smile, unable to stop himself from doing so. The kitsune led him outside, golden eyes sparkling as he took in the image before him. Hesitantly reaching out to poke the bat demon to make sure it wasn't a dream. Kuronue took hold of the hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the slim fingers. Not a word was said; none were needed.

It was like they had never been separated. Softly, slowly, their lips met in a closed mouthed, yet passionate, kiss as their hands came to tangle in each other's hair. A soft moan escaped the kitsune's mouth as a tongue slipped in. 'Taste's sweet as ever...' Yoko mused to himself. He didn't know that his old lover was feeling the same thing...

Yoko couldn't remember when they had left the bar; he wondered if Kuronue could. All he knew was that they were currently in some sort of hotel room, and a few feet away was a large circular bed with black, satin sheets and large pillows. His hands lightly caressed the leathery, yet somehow soft wings coming from his back. "Kuro," he whispered, "I missed you...do you have any idea how lonely it's been without you?" He leaned forward so their foreheads touched; he could feel Kuronue's breath against his lips; smell the fresh alcohol on him and it aroused him like never before. "Sorry...you know I didn't mean to leave you...right?" The white-haired demon nodded, yet a silent tear fell down his face. "But, how are you alive, Ku-chan?" He seemed to think about this for a moment, turning his face to the sky and taking a deep breath. "Maybe it would be better if I explained this from the beginning..." The fox nodded, sitting down on the soft grass and giving all his attention to his lover.

BACK IN NINGENKAI, WITH SUICHI.  
He gingerly set his bloodied hands over his knees, which were pulled up to his chest. His breathing was harsh. "How am I supposed to get out?" he snapped at the voice which had, thankfully, gone silent once the skin on his hands had broken. He grit his teeth the moment he moved them, and leaned against the wall. Suichi tilted his head up to stare at the ceiling, wondering how long he▓d been down there. It was always dark, always silent; there was no way to tell what was real. 'Maybe I'm dreaming,' he thought dryly, 'The voice is in my head, and I'll wake up uninjured in my bed...' he paused 'And maybe Yusuke and Kuwabarra will have straight As.' What was intended to be a joke to cheer him up only saddened him. He wondered if he would ever see them again; would he die before he got the chance? ...Would he die before he got the chance to say I love you to Hiei?...

**Meanwhile, at Genkai's...  
**Hiei rolled his eyes as he watched Yusuke and the buffoon spar, each of them throwing insults that had no heat behind them. "Niisan? Would you like some tea?" He looked up to find himself staring into a pair of ruby eyes identical to his own. He smiled ever so softly and took a cup from the tray. His twin sat down next to him, and they sipped their tea in silence.

"You're worried about him." Yukina stated softly after a few moments. He gave a single nod, setting his cup down and looking at her. "I want to know what the hell's going on in that house," he whispered, "I want to find out what he's so intent on hiding from me..." Turning his head, Hiei promptly smacked the two humans over the head with his sheath. "Shut up," he said monotonously.

**With Suichi Again**  
Suichi shivered, despite the fire running through his veins, as he curled up in a tight ball. He wondered if he was getting sick again. 'If that's the case than I'm going to die for sure now...' The redhead slowly lay down before pulling his knees to his chest while keeping his fists beneath his chin. A hollow smile touched his lips as he imagined how long he would rot down here before someone came looking for him. Would they find him barely even alive? Would his corpse have been long rotted? He laughed outright at his own thoughts. 'No...Yoko wouldn't let me die. He'd be too bored without me here..'

A sharp bang is what pulled him from his light sleep, and he shot up, his heart pounding and breathing heavy. There was no other sound aside from soft footsteps upstairs. His eyes widened and his body trembled; that wasn't Yoko...the white haired demon never made a sound when he came back. He swallowed thickly. The noise was coming closer to the door...

**Scene Change**  
Kuronue calmly explained what he did remember. How he head been struck unconscious after the arrows had hit him. "I told you to run...and you did," a small smile came to his face, "I was glad too. You were so fucking stubborn I figured you would have come back." He ignored the guilty look on the kitsune's face. "Oddly enough, no one from the group ever came for me. And from what I heard, you never went back to them either, ne Yoko?" A slight nod, and the fox stared at him, golden eyes asking him for further explanation. "I spent a few days in a cave, healing and then after that I looked for you," he smirked, "That's how I heard of your death. But I knew it wasn't true...you don't die so easily. Too damned stubborn" He held his past lover's hand, lacing their fingers together, and reveling in the soft skin beneath his fingertips. He didn't know how much he'd missed that until then. "And I've been looking for you in Makai..." Yoko smiled apologetically, "I wasn't here...I was in Ningenkai." At the puzzled look, the fox went into an explanation of his own, leaving out Suichi for the time being and merely explaining the reincarnation and Spirit Detective phase of it.

Kuronue burst out laughing, "You crazy bastard!" Yoko gave a small smile of his own before being pulled into a kiss.

**And again...in Ningenkai...I'm really bad at stating transitions**  
Suichi trembled slightly, his mind racing with fear as he listened to the locked knob turn. He closed his eyes when the clicking sound of it being picked reached his ears. The old hinges creaked, the sound echoing in the silence of his prison. His heart pounded painfully against his chest.

"Kurama?"

He parted his dry lips, attempting to form words but found he couldn't. Instead he settled for staring into the garnet eyes of the one standing in the doorway. Hiei was beside him in half a heartbeat, staring in disbelief at the more-than-likely infected wounds and the fearful, broken look in once sparkling emerald eyes. "What the hell happened?" Hiei almost winced at his own tone, never one to be elegant with his speech. He already knew the answers; that crazy yoko that had been tormenting the human behind the doors of this hell-hole Suichi called a home.

"Kurama, we have to take you to my sister's now..." The redhead stared at him, brows furrowed slightly; he watched dully as Hiei took his hand and tried to get him up on his feet. "I'm not Kurama," he whispered hoarsely, "My name is Suichi." Hiei stared for a moment, wondering if his fox had gone crazy, then forced a smile to overtake his worried features, "Okay...Suichi. I'm going to take you to Yukina so she can heal you, alright?" Silence. "Suichi," his voice was louder now, the urgency and worry leaking into his words, "We need to have you fixed before infection kills you." The next words his lover uttered shocked him.

"Maybe I would be better dead..."

**A/N:** End Chapter! I hope you liked this! I finally updated! Yay! I'll try to do so again soon. I've got a creative rush right now!


	5. Chapter 10

Hiei's mind raced as he leapt silently from the trees and rooftops, occasionally looking down at the redhead in his arms. 'What did he mean? What could he possibly be hiding from us?' He shook his head; wondering could wait until later. He stored the fact of Kurama's fever in the back of his mind so he could tell his sister. The fox didn't move as, in his distraction, he almost fell from the tree he had perched in. "Stupid fox. How long have you been suffering??" A light breeze ruffled his hair. He received no answer from the barely conscious human. 

**In Makai**  
Yoko's tail swished calmly from side to side as he laid his head on Kuronue's chest, caressing the equally naked skin. He purred as his ears and tail were rubbed and he nudged his head upward as a silent request for the petting to continue. The two demons lay silently on the bed, slowly and carefully become reacquainted with each others bodies while looking for any sign that the other was uncomfortable. So far, there had been none. Yoko was genuinely surprised with himself; it had been a while since he had seen Kuronue and he hadn't planned on ever seeing him again. Yet, here they were, lying in the bed of a random inn and caressing what would soon be bare flesh. He closed his eyes, brow furrowing.

"Kuronue, stop."

Needless to say, the bad demon was taken aback by the sudden order. Was he wrong in assuming they both enjoyed it? The white-haired demon pulled away, putting his head in his hands and frantically running white strands of hair between his fingers in an attempt to remain calm. It was too fast...he had just seen Kuronue, just discovered he was alive, and now they were lying in a bed together? "Kurama..." The fox shook his head lightly, "No. I'm Yoko now...just Yoko." The bat demon nodded, though was still obviously very confused by how the fox was acting. He had never been like this before. 'What changed?' he wondered silently, though didn't say anything. He didn't want to irritate the fox right now. Gently, he smoothed white bangs away from the fevered brow and kissed him softly. "Alright...Yoko. Whatever you think is best." Golden eyes closed and a soft smile came to the fox's face as he rest his cheek against the strong chest, holding Kuronue's hand and lacing their fingers together. He felt...safe.

**And Back In The Human World...[grr! REALLY bad at transitioning, sorry  
**Hiei sat, fidgeting, in the dining room of Genkai's temple. The old woman was walking about the kitchen, making tea, while his sister sat in with Kurama [or Suichi, he supposed. He was feeling antsy, unable to sit still and mind racing as he wondered what could possibly be wrong with the usually so calm, near stoic, member of their team. The fire demon tapped his nail against the wood of the table, earning him an irritated look from the old woman that made him glare back. But he stopped never the less.

"Hiei-niisan?" He nearly leapt out of his skin as his sister appeared suddenly behind him; he hadn't even heard the door open! "Yes?" he said, swallowing and trying to calm his heart. Why in the seven hells he was so nervous about this, he didn't know. It wasn't like...Suichi had never been injured before. He couldn't get used to that name; even when the fox's mother was still alive, he called him Kurama! So why the sudden change? "Hiei?" He looked up, pulled from his thoughts by the voice of his twin sister. "I can't explain exactly what's going on with him. His youki is completely gone, but he still has a small amount of Reiki left. When I looked him over," her cheeks flushed slightly despite how hard she willed them not to, "I saw many bruises, cuts and scars that are too evenly placed to be from any sort of fight..." she trailed off when she saw Hiei clench his fist, red-brown eyes darkening as he looked down at the floor. She held her breath, waiting for him to hit something, to start screaming in rage. Instead, her twin took a deep breath then looked her in the eye, "I think...I should go talk to him now..."

The human lay quietly on the futon, staring at the ceiling and tucked beneath a few white quilts. His moving chest was the only indication he was alive; the covers were pulled to his chin and his eyes were focused, unmoving. "Kur-Suichi?" he winced internally at his own mistake. Slowly, the human turned to look at him and smiled, "Hiei...your still here. I'm surprised; I expected you to have run away once you found out I was alive." Hiei bristled, "You shouldn't be joking around, baka! ...When were you planning on telling us about this?" Kurama stiffened, fever-flushed face still facing him though now his eyes were averted downward; in shame, perhaps? Fear? Hiei couldn't tell. The redhead flinched as he reached out a hand.

He gently took the fox's face in his hands and forced Suichi to look him in the eye. The human closed his eyes. 'Are you expecting me to hit you, Kurama?' He didn't bother voicing his curiosity; it was a stupid question that would, in the end, only receive an untruthful response anyways. He couldn't help but wonder how many times Kurama had lied to them and gotten away with it? How long had he been living in fear; in agony?

**In Makai  
**White brows furrowed as he attempted to let his body relax enough to go to sleep. He rolled over on his back, something that went against every kitsune instinct, and turned his head to look at the peaceful, sleeping face of Kuronue. Slowly, he reached out to smooth black bangs from the tanned, beautiful face and slowly sat up. He pressed his lips to Kuronue's forehead, being careful not to wake him up. "How can you be here with me again?" he whispered. "Asking questions no one can answer, love?" He flushed as he found himself looking into a pair of violet eyes, shimmering with amusement. Yoko snorted, turning his face away to look at the far wall, "Be quiet. I'm sure you've spoken to me when I was asleep as well. And-eep!" He squeaked indignantly as he was pulled atop the bat demon, legs on either side of the slim hips and their faces a hair's width from each other. He could feel the hot breath against his lips and the blood immediately rushed to his pale cheeks.

"Getting soft, kitsune?" the black-haired demon wondered quietly, "I don't think I've ever seen you that shade of pink before." You could hear the laughter in his voice and Yoko didn't even dignify such a question with an answer. He instead, ran his fingers through the silk-like hair of the other demon and tried to focus on what was happening now; not the past and not the future. 'Something I haven't done for quite some time...'

**Scene Change  
**Suichi didn't speak, didn't move from his curled up position on what had been designated as his futon. He had often lain on it when healing after a mission...he hadn't been here in quite a while. The realization of how long it had been since he'd really done anything that didn't involve being abused was enough to make a shiver run along his spine. Yoko would be angry if he came back to find his pet missing. And it generally wasn't a good idea to make the demon mad. Despite the pain, Suichi sat up and ignored Hiei's cries to lie back down, that he was going to kill himself. "I need to go back, Hiei," he said calmly, "Don't try and stop me please..." The fire demon snorted at this, "I don't take orders, fox. Lie back down before you get yourself killed," he fell back into his usual cold demeanor. Suichi shook his head, "He'll be mad if I don't come home."

Hiei looked into the emerald eyes; he was speaking more clearly now. "Who will be angry?" Kurama's eyes widened and he shot up, ready to run out of the room. An almost painfully tight hand on his wrist stopped him though. "Please," Hiei whispered, "Talk to me..." He shook his head, pulling at his arm and trying to get away, "No! Please don't make me tell..." You could hear the tears in his voice. He trembled violently, but stilled when Hiei pulled him back down onto the futon.

"Damn it Kurama," Hiei said softly, "Talk to me. I want to help you." Suichi swallowed, looking down at his lap as a tear landed on it. "I can't," he whispered, lips barely moving, "Please understand Hiei..." An irritated sigh, and then the fire demon pulled him into a warm embrace, "Alright," he sighed, "I won't push you if you don't want to talk," he ran his fingers through blood colored hair, "But we want to help you, Kurama...please know that."

The slender body in Hiei's arms trembled as it was wracked with sobs. He was afraid, sore and exhausted. He just wanted to get away...he wanted to see his mother again.

**With Yoko**  
When morning came, both demons were feeling much better than they had been the night before. The white-haired fox kissed Kuronue's hand, "It was a pleasure seeing you again. But I really should be getting home." The bat returned the favor, smirking and stretching his stiffened limbs, "Me too. Places to see, people to go." The fox snickered at the mistake. 'He never was a morning person.' They shared one more kiss, promising to meet again soon before going their separate ways...

"Suichi," Yoko called as he shut the door behind him, voice calm and menacing, "I'm home, my pretty Shuu-chan..." His brow furrowed at the smell; the scent of the human was still there, but it was faint. And he could smell smoke...

:So, Hiei's decided to take him from me, has he? It's a good thing kitsune like games.' He chuckled darkly, "You can't hide for long, my little Shuu-chan..."

**  
A/N:** Another chapter finished! Shorter than I would have liked, but I wanted to leave it off there... How did you like it? Please leave a review if you have the time; they're such great motivators.


	6. Chapter 11

Yoko was perched calmly at the top of a tree, golden eyes taking in everything around him as his ears twitched to each sound. Suichi's scent was distinct, but also difficult to isolate amongst the smog and stench of the human world. He slowly wrapped his long silver tail around his own waist, suddenly feeling cold without Kuronue beside him. It was amazing how soft he'd gotten. 'Sickening.' His scowl melted and a smirk took its place as he finally found what he was looking for. "Taking refuge in Genkai's temple?" he said, elegant brow cocked, "My, how low you've fallen..." In a flash of white, he was gone without a trace... 

**Scene Change**  
Hiei sat against the wall, katana resting beside him. He stared down the sleeping figure in his arms. "He finally fell asleep?" He looked up at Yukina. 'I didn't even hear her...' He nodded once he'd gotten over the surprise and then looked back to the red head, who was currently whimpering and trembling. 'Damned nightmares.' "Shh," he said quietly, "Please be calm. No one's going to hurt you here." "...Hurting me..." Suichi whispered, a tear falling down his cheek.

Yukina stared at the dark bruise on Suichi's neck, and slowly pulled his shirt off. He was healing...but the scars and dark spots were still visible. "I don't know why he won't heal completely," she whispered, "No matter what I do, they're never gone." Delicate brows furrowed, and Hiei mirrored her expression. Why wouldn't he heal? He'd always been the first to do so when they were working for Koenma... 'Their separation must be the cause...'

Hiei's thoughts were broken by the sound of a soft but pained moan. The once sleeping fox opened his eyes, and the twins stared into the deep green orbs. They weren't the same; the shine was gone, dimmed and forgotten. "Hiei...Yukina..." His voice was soft, pain not even masked. "He's hurting me," tears flowed down his cheeks, "And he won't stop..." Furrowing his brow, Hiei ran his fingers through the crimson strands, unable to think of anything to say.

They sat there in silence for a few moments, before Suichi was unable to take the tense auras and sat up, brushing his hair from his shoulders and wiping his face clean of tears. "I suppose I should make you some lunch. It's the least I can do." He walked, limped out of the room, leaving the two apparitions staring at him, silent and without a movement. Each was wondering how he could act so normal; how he could just smile and pretend that he wasn't so damaged...

The meal was tense for all of them, Genkai being away performing her 'private duties' [or so she said; everyone figured she was gambling with old friends and the old woman was not there to insult and thus break said tension. Yukina was thinking about Suichi's situation, and how they could possibly help when the enemy was a part of him. Hiei was simply fuming about the whole situation, and Suichi was worrying himself sick over how angry his darker half was going to be when he finally came home. His mind raced with thoughts of how he was more than likely going to be punished. 'Will he kill me for such an act of defiance?' He set his bowl down, still half full of miso soup, and stood. "I'm going for a walk." Neither of the fire-ice demons missed the tension in his voice or the way he limped out of the room...

People stared at the redhead as he limped down the street. He didn't know how long he had been walking, but it must have been quite a long time if he was already out of the temple area. His already damaged mind was frantic, images flashing in and out like a broken slideshow. Yoko and himself; his punishment; his own dead body. 'Would they mourn me?' He looked up, stopping and staring blindly at the slowly darkening skies.

"Look out!"

He jumped at the shriek, and a heavy weight was thrust upon his side just before he hit the pavement of the sidewalk. "Damn you, Kurama! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" He looked into a pair of angry brown eyes, but did not register the worry hidden there. He didn't think that it was Yusuke; all he saw was fury and his heart pounded. Fear suffocated him as he quickly covered his face with his hands, whispering frantically. The human furrowed his brow, listening to fragments of sentences; desperate apologies and pleas for forgiveness. "Kurama!" he cried, causing silence to overcome them. Neither noticed the people staring at them; after all, it was hardly normal to see two boys lying in the middle of a sidewalk.

The redhead trembled, still trapped within the fear of being abused; of being screamed at and humiliated for another time on a very long, numberless list. Dignity forgotten, pride cast away, he latched onto Yusuke's shirt and buried his face in the cigarette-smelling fabric. "I'm sorry, please don't hit me. Forgive me Yusuke, I didn't mean to anger you." The brown-eyed boy felt his anger melt away immediately as he took in the sight of the broken past-fox before him. Slowly, he ran his fingers through the blood red hair, "Hey, it's alright 'Rama," he said, smiling softly, "We're okay, right?" Silence. "So why would I be angry?" Kurama looked up, and Yusuke felt his heart grow heavy as he looked into those haunted eyes. "C'mon. We should get you home now..." Yusuke noted how he tensed when the word 'home' was mentioned, but didn't say a word on it...

"Thank you for walking with me Yusuke..." Kurama said quietly, setting a kettle on the stove and setting a small jar of home-made tea on his white counter, looking over his shoulder as Yusuke sat at his table. "No problem, fox-boy," the boy said with a grin, "Someone's gotta make sure you don't get lost y'know." Suichi cocked his brow, shaking his head as he turned back to the stove, watching the blue flame. His eyes widened and his breath hitched as memories came flooding into his mind.

_  
The smell of the basement..._

_Yoko's cold smirk as he came down the creaking stairs, deliberately slow, painful._

_Matches. He had gotten the matches again._

_"Don't you want to play a game with me?"_

"Hello? Earth to Kurama!" Emerald eyes snapped back into focus, chest heaving as he fought back the images and the pain on his skin from where the flames had kissed him so harshly. He turned, tense as a board, to look at the guest sitting there...he was shocked at what instead was there.

Gold...glinting gold.

_Eyes...cold golden eyes locked on him. Sadistic laughter echoing in his ears. Weight on his slender form and the ripping sound of fabric. Salt; tears. "Worthless boy...stop crying! Why do you have to be so weak?!"_

The floor vanished from beneath him, and he was falling to nowhere. His eyes were glazed over, lips parted and moving as he whispered words that Yusuke couldn't understand. "Kurama! Kurama, are you okay?" 'Stupid question, of course he isn't...' The redhead started convulsing on the floor, biting his lip until blood dribbled out the corner to fall into his hair as his breath grew erratic. It blended perfectly. "Kurama! Come on, snap out of it!"

The seizures grew worse as Yusuke grabbed the phone and dialed 911.

"911 operator. What is your emergency?"

"I think one of my friends is going to die! He's having a seizure!"

_**Author Note: **Sorry it took so long to update! I got hit with sudden inspiration at the end there lol So if it seems randomly placed at all, that's why. But, damn it, I'm proud of this chapter, short as it is! Please leave a review and let me know what you think...if you want to that is. No flames though; constructive criticism only please. I hope you all liked it!_


	7. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE 

Yusuke bit his nails as he sat, fidgeting, in the uncomfortable chair of the hospital waiting room. It smelled of iodine and starched sheets. He wondered if it was to cover up the smell of death. 'Stop it,' he said to himself, 'He's not going to die!'

"Mister Urameshi?"

He nearly leapt out of his skin, eyes wide as he looked at the woman in the long white coat. "My name is Doctor Saraya. I'm treating Suichi," she shook his hand, "He seems to have collapsed from dehydration and exhaustion. I don't know what's happened, but we've also found evidence of abuse." Yusuke bristled immediately, "What, do you think I did it?!" Silence. Yusuke sighed heavily, sitting down in his chair and resting his head in his hands, "When can he come home?" "In a few days. We're keeping him overnight for watch, and then he'll need to stay here to rehydrate and heal some of the more severe injuries. Then Suichi can go, but I suggest someone keep an eye on him for a few days afterward just to be safe." Doctor Saraya paused, tapping her blue pen against the clipboard, "Do you know of anyone who might want to hurt him this way? Anyone he's mentioned causing him any trouble?" "No," Yusuke sighed, "He lives alone...far as I know, everyone loves him." She nodded, "He's in room 204. You can see him now if you want."

Yusuke bit his lip as he opened the door to reveal the room his friend was staying in. The long red hair was a startling contrast against the white bed sheets and pillow, the only other color in the room aside from the violets set on the nightstand. "One of the nurses brought that," Suichi said softly, "She said I looked like I needed to be cheered up." A metal bracelet with his name and room number was around his wrist, and he was wearing one of the hospital gowns. The redhead laughed softly, "I always have hated hospitals...ever since my mother..." His voice grew low, pained. It made Yusuke want to hug him, but he figured that would be a bit awkward. He instead pulled a chair to the side of the bed, crossing his ankle over his thigh and putting his arms behind his head, fingers interlaced, "I'm gonna stay with you overnight. Someone's gotta keep you company, you know?" Suichi couldn't help smile, just a little, "Of course. But...Hiei? Won't he worry about you?" Yusuke cocked an eyebrow, "Which Hiei are you talking about? He knows I'm up here; he'll probably stop by later tonight anyways. He's cool like that, y'know." Yusuke was rewarded for his optimism with a small smile from the redhead.

Hiei sighed, stretching and groaning in relief as his stiff back popped from the movement and his cramped legs were stretched. He was seated at the sear of Suichi's bed, sword between his head and shoulder. He had, with his Jagan, 'persuaded' the doctors and security guards to let him take it in. He didn't feel safe without it. 'And I need to protect Kurama' he reminded himself. He also reminded himself that it wasn't Kurama anymore; it was Suichi. A whole different person that he had first fought with, first befriended...one of the first people he trusted.

"Hey," Yusuke walked into the room quietly, shutting the door behind him and standing next to Hiei, "How's he doing?" The fire demon shrugged, "He was awake a little while ago," he kept his voice low, "We talked a little but about his past schooling...and how he's doing now," Hiei sighed, "It was all a lie, of course. We all know damn well he is certainly not fine." The last word was all but dripping with sarcasm. Hiei softened, however, when he looked at the sleeping face of the human, "Why didn't he trust us...why didn't he go to somebody for help?" Hiei made sure to keep his voice soft, but you could still hear the anger.

_  
I'm skipping Suichi's stay in the hospital because that's boring..._

Hiei walked the human home after he was released from the human hospital. The doctor told him that Suichi was healing, but he would still have some muscle weakness and that he was, currently, vulnerable to illness. 'She said something about his immune system being too weak' he reminded himself. He couldn't remember the exact term for it; he didn't often make a habit of talking to, listening to, or even looking at most humans. "You know Hiei," a soft voice broke him from the thoughts, "You don't have to walk me home..." Hiei gave his trademark snort, furrowing his brow, "Like hell I don't. You just had a seizure due to malnutrition and dehydration, you stupid fox...I'll be damned if I'm leaving you alone, let alone letting you walk such a distance without someone with you. And I don't trust Kuwabarra any further than I can throw him...which isn't far." Suichi gave a smile that did not reach his eyes; you could see the tension around his mouth at the thought of Hiei going home with him. "It's not as though I haven't taken care of myself before..." "Which is exactly why you're in this mess," Hiei's snappish tone ended the conversation then and there.

Suichi was painfully tense when they walked in the house, beads of sweat glistening on his brow. He didn't even remove his shoes when he walked in; merely plopped down on the couch and curled up against the soft, black leather. "Have a seat Hiei," he sighed, "I'll make some tea after I've caught my breath some." The red-eyed demon gave another snort, "How about this; you rest and I'll make the damned tea." Suichi didn't argue. Hiei walked into the kitchen, feeling cold sweat as he walked further into the dark home; he was being watched. The back of his neck burned as he set the kettle on the stove, the blue flames licking the underside of the metal.

Golden eyes practically burned as he watched the shorter demon walk about the house. He was crouched in the dark stairwell, a cloak over him to hide the luminescent white of his skin and hair. Being albino had its negative sides. Yoko watched his little Suichi collapse on the sofa, his chest moving more than normal, and his eyes half-lidded, glazed. And he knew that Suichi could sense him. 'You know I'm watching you, don't you?' He knew that the demon could very well come out of hiding and murder him right there and then, regardless of Hiei's presence. But that wasn't his style, not how he played the game; he wanted Suichi so tense, so nervous it actually hurt. He wanted his hikari to suffer...

It was working. The redhead was breathing raggedly, chewing his lip as he looked into the teacup. The green liquid had ripples across the surface from the shaking of his cold hands, feeling the burning on the back of his neck; the eyes locked on him. He could see the smirk behind his eyes; hear the screaming and laughter as he writhed and suffered before him. Yoko was God here; he was the one who decided upon Suichi's fate and there was not one who could or would challenge him in anyway. Of course...that's what made it fun for the demon.

The tea was long cold, barely touched by either demon. Hiei, despite his jagan and keen senses, was blissfully unaware of the other presence within the house. He had shrugged off the feeling from earlier, assuming it was because of how adamant he was about protecting Suichi that it made his senses go into a painful overdrive. 'Great...now I'm sensing things that aren't there.' He sighed, casually stretching his arm out to caress the bright-red strands of hair that rested on the human's shoulder. Their owner did not move; Suichi merely stared blankly at the demon, lower lip slightly sore where he had bitten it so many times. He knew Yoko was still in the house...the threat not yet gone.

As the seconds and hours ticked by, as the sun slowly sunk and the moon rose, the tension increased. Hiei was sitting on the sofa, eyes on the television but not taking any of the information in. You could see the tiredness in those eyes, the color of dried blood, and the way his shoulders were so relaxed. Suichi smiled softly, mouth tense, as he took the afghan off the back of the couch and draping it over Hiei's slim shoulders.

"Go on and sleep, Hiei," he whispered, "I'll be here when you wake up. I'll be fine..." The demon didn't hear anything else after that; his eyes closed and his breathing became deep and even as he fell into the arms of exhaustion and unconsciousness. Suichi tensed immediately, hearing a dark chuckle from somewhere behind him.

"Nice to see your out of the hospital, Suichi...did you enjoy your stay there?" The human licked his lips, which had gone dry and bowed his head, running his shaking hands over Hiei's black hair, surprisingly soft despite the spiked look. "I...I don't..." He couldn't form the words; no matter what he said, it wouldn't do him any good. Yoko was enraged, though still in a state of calm, of control. Just like always.

"Go to your room," came the whispered command, "And take those clothes off. I'll be up in a moment to deal with you..." Silently, the order was followed. Yoko smirked as he smelled salt. 'Yes...this will be a fun night.' The white-haired demon leaned over to kiss the child-like cheek of their sleeping guest. "Dream well, Hiei," he whispered, "Sleep and dream while your love suffers at my hands..."

Hiei did not stir...

_  
And that's the end of the chapter! I hope it was worth the wait and worth reading. That last paragraph came from nowhere but I liked it so it stayed I really hope you guys liked it! Leave a review and tell me what you think, please! Just no flames because they make Yoko-chan sad. pitiful face_

_I'll try to get another chapter up soon!!_


	8. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN **(Bad language in this chapter...'f' word and such)**

Yusuke groaned as hung the phone for the third time. He was attempting to contact Kurama, but all he got was the message saying "The number you are calling has been disconnected or is no longer in service..." Blah blah blah. He knew that was all crap; the redhead was always so careful with such things. Finally, he got fed up with it and grabbed his coat from the mahogany coat rack and stormed out into the cold, mind racing despite his calm exterior. "The guy JUST got out of a hospital and what happens? His phone gets fucked up and...and for all I know, he could be dead. Damn..." He ran outside in the cold without a second thought. Several passersby stared at him, wondering what on earth a young boy could be doing running the streets at ten o'clock at night. He was out of breath by the time he reached the apartment, banging on the door, "Kurama?? Kurama, open up!"

Yoko paused, eyes narrowing at the interruption. He gazed down at the being beneath him; Suichi was gagged, hands tied above his head and legs open so Yoko could fit between them, hip-to-hip. The slender throat moved as he gulped, staring into the golden eyes ablaze with a dangerous fire. Slowly, the demon stood, shutting Suichi's door behind him. Calmly, he entered the hallway, naked as the day he was born. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before pulling on a plain yukata, opening the door and leaning against the solid frame, "You beckoned, detective?" Brown eyes locked on him, dark and angry. "Suichi," he said quickly, "He's here, right?" Yoko's eyes darkened, but he stepped aside never the less, letting the human into the dark and chilled house. Hiei lay on the couch still, breathing deep and even and lips parted slightly. Yusuke reached over and ran his fingers through the surprisingly soft hair, paying special attention to the white starburst, which was more feather-like than the rest. "So, Urameshi," he said lazily, looking at his long nails, "Any reason you came other than to gawk at Hiei? Though, he is cute, ne?" He gave a playful wink.

Yusuke felt his cheeks flush as he straightened, clearing his throat. "Um...I wanted to check on Suichi..." Yoko gave a light, elegant laugh, holding a lock of hair between his middle and index finger before flicking it over his shoulder. "Well, you know where his room is. Don't stay too long though. I'm afraid little Shuu-chan isn't well..." With that, he left. Yusuke swallowed, trying to get the dry feeling of sandpaper from his mouth and throat. He quietly stepped into the appointed bedroom, peeking his head in before entering completely, shutting the door behind him. The redhead was curled up beneath thick quilts, eyes closed and hair covering half his face. He appeared to be alright...

Slowly, he pulled the quilt back. 'Crap!' His cheeks burned when he caught a glimpse of the bare flesh beneath and immediately threw the covers back on. Suichi coughed, a rattling sound from deep in his chest, and shivered as he burrowed deeper beneath his pile of blankets. The young teens features softened as he reached forward to smooth the crimson bangs from a fevered brow. "Hey," he whispered, "Get feeling better real quick, alright? We need you back..." He turned to leave, feeling better now that he had seen not a mark on the slim body. No bruises, no cuts...only a few scars, but that was understandable. He always got hurt on their missions...

He nodded once to Yoko as he came out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Yoko looked at him, smiling with raised brows as if to say innocently 'did you find anything?' and Yusuke didn't say a word. He practically fled from the house, barely remembering to grab his coat first. 'Guess there's nothing to tell Genkai and the others' he thought to himself, wrapping his jacket tight around himself as he walked home in the snow. "Crap...I'm supposed to cook dinner for me and Hiei..."

The white demon snarled, upper lip curling to reveal a sharp, white canine as he slammed the door shut. "Damned humans. Can't they learn to keep their filthy noses to themselves instead of poking it where they don't belong??" He shot around when he heard a soft moan, and saw Hiei's small frame move from within the afghan. "'Rama," he muttered, "You doin' okay?" Yoko smirked, looking into the half-lidded eyes, "Of course, firefly. Sleep..." And, like a light, he did. The demon stared, eyebrows up, before smirking and shaking his head. It was so easy to trick them it was almost sad.

When he got to Suichi's bedroom door, his brows went down and his honey-gold eyes darkened. The boy's friends were quickly getting on his already frayed nerves, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could deal with them before he lost his temper. He shut the door behind him after unlocking it, staring right into the terrified and fevered green eyes. Suichi, obedient despite the lack of any verbal order, had not moved from his position on the bed. His slender body trembled from the combination of fear and cold. The human's breathing was a wheeze, skin flushed with fever. A cloth was tied tightly over his mouth, making it more-than likely painfully difficult to breathe. "You stupid slut," Yoko growled, eyes gleaming with anger and the joy of causing his human pain, "What the hell is wrong with you?!" He was at the bed in a few long strides, and he smacked the boy across the face, and then hit him in the stomach and on his bruised ribs. "Are you just trying to piss me off?! Do you want me to kill you? You stupid fuck-up!" Suichi closed his eyes, trying to block out the insults and hold back tears. "Fucking slut. Can't you just learn not to piss me off?"

The blows continued, each harder than the last. Suichi was grateful that he hadn't brought out the knives and lighters, however. He finally lay on the floor, not moving, as his exposed torso was repeatedly kicked. The insults no longer stung as badly, but they still echoed and screeched in his head. He barely noticed Yoko grab his hair and drag him to the corner. "You'll sleep there," the cold voice said. Then, he walked away. Had he neither dignity nor class, Yoko would have spit on the boy.

Suichi lay there, breathing shallowly so as not to jar what he was sure was broken ribs. 'Pleasant' he thought sarcastically 'I can't move and if I stay here and longer than necessary, Yoko will call me lazy and then beat me again. Damn it all!' He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself before he did something stupid and made his injuries even worse... Slowly, he forced himself up onto his elbows, keeping still from the waist down. Nothing too serious... Inch by inch he pulled himself into a sitting position. His body protested, but he didn't stop. He needed to clean the wounds or else they would get infected. That, like so many other things, would only succeed in angering Yoko. He sighed. 'What happened to him? He wasn't like this before I met Hiei...'

His head spun and nausea hit him like a gunshot; no warning and immediate pain. He folded his arms over his thin stomach, using a method that everyone uses and knows doesn't work. 'Nothing helps pain anymore...' He placed his palm firmly on the wall, using it as leverage to pull him in a half-standing position. Suichi grit his teeth to stop the scream that was just waiting to come from inside of him. Why was his body so insistent on betraying him tonight? 'Maybe Karasu was right...maybe I am a masochist.' The thought brought a very small smile to his face that was gone in half a blink of an eye. The floor spun beneath his unsteady feet and he fell sideways, landing on his left hip. He used his arm to keep himself up. Drops of sweat fell from his bow as his breathing grew shallow and erratic. "What's happening?" he gasped, pain obvious in his soft voice. He didn't bother stifling the cry of alarm as his vision swam and eventually faded out to black. Yoko wouldn't care if he was in pain...that was the point of punishing him after all. Nevertheless, this had never happened before...

Hiei's eyes, without warning, snapped open and revealed the fire burning deep within the crimson. He grabbed his katana, feeling suddenly very cautious, weary of his surroundings. He wasn't sure what had woken him up, or how long he had been sleeping. "Hello, Hiei. Did you have a nice rest?" The shorter demon looked over to his right, where the voice had come from, and looked into golden eyes. "Suichi," he snarled, "Where is he?"

_"I'll be here when you wake up. I'll be fine..."_

Kurama's voice came in his mind without warning, and the sudden memory startled him. He was still feeling the aftereffects of whatever damned drug was put into his tea, making his usually lightning-fast movements sluggish and clumsy. "What the hell did he do?" Yoko smiled at him, eyes shimmering with something Hiei couldn't quite place. It looked...wrong, somehow. "Suichi," he repeated, "Tell me what you've done with him!" Yoko laughed lightly, "Why, I've done nothing with him."

_"Sleep and dream while your love suffers at my hands..."_

"Lies!" Hiei pulled his katana from the sheath, the metallic click echoing in the dulled silence of the house. Yoko raised a fine brow, an expression fitting for a fox, "You intend to hurt me in my own home? Why, Hiei, I'm shocked. I thought you had an honor code." "Hn," the fire demon grunted, "Only to those I respect...I heard your voice before I slept. You said something about Suichi suffering. Now tell me where he is." 'Or did he mean Yusuke?' He didn't voice this aloud, however. "My dear Hiei," the thief sighed, shaking his head, "I'm afraid you're making a mistake. You must have had a dream, for I said no such thing to you." Hiei's grip on the sword loosened a fraction, the anger lessening while his brow relaxed. Was he right? Had he been dreaming? 'Being here is making me paranoid...'

A knock on the door startled them both [though, naturally neither showed it and Yoko gave a small smile, "I'll get it. Why don't you sit down and relax, Hiei? You seem a tad...tense." "I'll do nothing of the sort." The fox shrugged, walking soundlessly to the door and opening it, already knowing who it was by the scent. "Ah, Yusuke. Please come in." The damn smile was fooling everyone. "Hey Yoko," Yusuke's voice was cautious, Hiei noticed. "Hiei still here?" Yoko stepped aside, pointing at the hiyoukai and shutting the door behind the newcomer. "Of course. I'm afraid he must have had a dream though. He's acting a bit odd."

Suichi heard the door open, and then Yusuke's voice. He raised his head slightly, jaw clenched as he tensed. 'Hiei and Yusuke are both here...strange that Yoko would allow it.' He stayed against the wall, not quite bold [or foolish enough to attempt walking to the door just yet. He strained his ears and heard bits and pieces of their conversation.

"I think he must have had a dream." 'That's Yoko...damn him and his acting skills.' The thief sounded so...innocent. No wonder they couldn't catch him in the Makai! Even if he were found, he could easily trick them. "Hey Hiei. Um...I think we should get going now." 'Yusuke.' Nothing. Of course, Hiei wasn't much of a conversationalist. He opened his mouth, hoping to call out for one of them. His voice wasn't there... He took a deep breath, vision blurring as he did so, hoping that... "Hoping what?" he snapped at himself, "That they'll come and save you? They think your sleeping..." Muffled voices, and the creaking of the door shutting.

He turned his head to look out the window, watching Yusuke's car pull out of the driveway. The car tires squealed against the icy roads, and unable to avert his gaze, Suichi watched his last chance for salvation drive away. Who knew if they would even come back? 'They'll forget about you...so many others have.' Suichi wasn't sure if that was him thinking or the voice in his head again. Either way, it made his heart ache and his throat tighten.

Completely opposite of what he had expected, Yoko didn't come into the room to scream at him. All he heard was footsteps stopping before his door, the click of the lock snapping into place. More footsteps, the door opening...then nothing. 'Well, I would certainly rather be locked in my bedroom than in the basement again...' Oddly enough, he didn't hear the front door open, but he no longer felt Yoko in the apartment. The tension slowly drained from him, body relaxing. He pulled himself onto the bed, lying back against the pillow which was propped up against the wall. The redhead pondered the situation he was in. 'It hurts to move and the only people who can get me out of here just drove away. Yoko could come back at any moment, so if I were to even try and escape it means he could be right there...and then he would hit me.' He sighed. 'Of course, he'll hit me when he comes back too.' Biting his already cut lower lip, he made a decision. "Once my fever goes down, I'll go to Master Genkai..." Leaning his head back, the redhead didn't let himself think of what would happen if he were caught. He didn't think of Yoko, or the pain he was in. All he could think of was the chance to get away.

That night, he dreamed of his mother...

**And that's the end of chapter thirteen! What did you think? Love it? Hate it? Stop writing it completely? Leave a review if you have time, please. I love to know your guy's opinion. And for once, I didn't end a chapter on a cliffhanger! The next chapter will come soon!**


	9. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN 

**:Dream:**  
"Shuu-chan, please come down from there." A young boy with shoulder-length red hair looked down from his perch on the high branch. His regarded the woman, his mother, with eyes that held maturity beyond his age. "Mother," he sighed, "Why? I don't wish to see that old woman again!" The old woman, of course, was his grandmother on his father's side. Ever since he passed away, she'd been coming here and it was starting to drive Kurama crazy. "Please dear? I'll make you udon for supper!" He rolled his eyes; so she had resorted to bribery to get him to come down? 'Well, at least it's something I like this time instead of those ridiculous 'birthday' presents.' He slid easily from the tree, landing gracefully before his mother. He looked at her with expressionless eyes, and then did something extremely uncharacteristic; he held up both arms in a gesture that meant he wished to be carried.

She stood there in shock for a moment, but finally did as he silently asked and held him to her hip. "Thank you musuko," she said, kissing his cheek. He responded with a shrug, resting his head on her slim shoulder...

"Did you brush your teeth?" Suichi nodded, climbing into bed, the quilt and sheets pulled back. He lay back against his pillow. "Take your bath?" Once more, he nodded. She smiled, kissing his cheek and tucking the covers around him. "Good boy," she touched her finger to the tip of his nose, "I love you, my son." He smiled, "'Kaachan...could you sing the song please?" Her low, mezzo soprano voice did its purpose to calm him; [A/N: Italicised is the translation of this french lullabye

Dodo, l'enfant do, (_Sleepy time, the young one sleeps_)  
L'enfant dormira bien vite (_The child will sleep very soon_)  
Dodo, l'enfant do (_Sleepy time, the young one sleeps_)  
L'enfant dormira bientot. (_The child will sleep, oh so soon_)

Une poule blanche (_A white hen_)  
Est la dans la grange. (_Is in the barn_)  
Qui va faire un petit coco (_It'll make a small egg_)  
Pour l'enfant qui va fair' dodo. (_For the child who goes to sleep_)

Dodo, l'enfant do, (_Sleepy time, the young one sleeps_)  
L'enfant dormira bien vite (_The child will sleep very soon_)  
Dodo, l'enfant do (_Sleepy time, the young one sleeps_)  
L'enfant dormira bientot. (_The child will sleep, oh so soon_)

Tout le monde est sage (_Everyone is calm_)  
Dans le voisinage (_All around_)  
Il est l'heure d'aller dormer (_It's time for all to sleep_)  
Le sommeil va bientot venir. (_Sleep will come soon_)

By the end of the second chorus, Suichi's eyes were already feeling heavy, but he wanted to stay awake. He wanted to hear her, to know she was okay. 'Father died...I don't want mother to go away' He looked at her, studied the contours of her face; the small smile, the deep brown eyes, the way her bangs curled just so. Slowly, he reached up and played with a strand of her brown hair, curling it around his finger. "Arigatou, 'kaachan..." His eyes closed and his breathing fell deep and even. She kissed him again, "Sweet dreams, musuko..."  
**:End Dream:**

Suichi didn't wake up until the next morning. He strained his ears, eyes darting nervously around the room to see if his demon was there. For once, his breathing was normal when he awoke. Yoko wasn't in his room...but that didn't mean he was gone. Slowly, he pulled his knees to his chest and rest his forehead against the caps, sobbing. "Mere..." [A/N: Mother in French...yes, I keep switching from French to Japanese. I like both languages He waited a few moments, to see if he started coughing or got nauseous. Fortunately, all that came was a headache. 'Pathetic when you wake up and are grateful the only thing wrong, besides bruises, is a headache.' Slowly, he raised his hand to wipe away the tears on his face, being careful of the said bruises that lay there.

He froze when he heard voices downstairs; one, of course, belonged to the fox demon. But the other he didn't recognize. Biting his lip, he knelt down and pressed his ear to the floor. "So this is where you've been staying?" You could hear the laughter in the voice. "No Kuro," Yoko sighed, sarcasm thick in his tone, "I've been staying next door. I've showing you the neighbors' house." Chuckling, and then footsteps. Suichi nibbled his lower lip, curiosity flooding his mind. Yoko never allowed anyone to come into the house...not without some sort of motive. 'Then, why didn't he come in here and tell me to keep my mouth shut?' He tried the doorknob, knowing it was still locked, but it was human nature to try anyways. He sighed, crouching in front of the door and listening to their conversation. As footsteps came by his door, he looked through the keyhole. Yoko came first, followed by another demon; he had blue-black hair tied up in a ponytail. On his head was a cap with the top half missing, and he wore a purple, sleeveless vest with straps around his arms. Then, they were gone. 'Great...he brought a badly dressed demon into our house...' He fell back, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed. Suddenly, he wished he still had his books. 'Too bad he burned them...'

Kuronue whistled as he looked around the room. "This is a nice place you got here!" he looked into the golden eyes with a smirk on his face, "Who'd you steal it from?" "No one...it's Suichis." Kuronue nodded, remembering the fox telling him about the human. "And he would be...where?" "In his room," Yoko smirked, "Have to keep him out of trouble..." Kuronue nodded once, and then looked away with his brow furrowed. 'He wasn't like this before...he used to just kill people off, saying it was too much trouble keeping him alive... When did he start tormenting others?'

He looked back up with a smile, "May I see him? I want to have a look at this human that's been causing you so much trouble." At first, Kuronue was afraid that the fox was angry; the honey-gold eyes darkened, his brows going down slightly. Then it was gone, as if it had never existed. "Sure," the kitsune said with a smile, "He's in the bedroom, two doors down on the left." He handed the bat demon a silver key, "There's how to get in. I'll make some tea." With that, he left. "Wow" Kuronue said to himself, watching the tall demon leave, "He's certainly more...domesticated than he used to be. Tea?? What the hell happened to liquor?" But, he shrugged it off and left the room to see the human...

Suichi was sitting on the floor still, and when he heard footsteps coming closer, his stomach churned and his throat tightened. 'No...What did I do now?' He worried his lower lip, white teeth piercing the pink, soft flesh. The door opened with a creak, and he closed his eyes, hands over his head as he took deep, even breaths. 'He's going to hurt me...I did something stupid and he's going to beat me and lock me up for it. Damn! Why do I keep screwing everything up?!'

"Who are you?"

_[A/N: Thought of ending it there...but that would just be mean. Okay, back to the fic!_

Emerald eyes slowly rose to look into the deep blue. 'That's the one who was in the hallway with Yoko...' Delicate brows furrowed. 'He asked you a question! Answer!' He swallowed, throat and mouth suddenly very dry. "Suichi...my name is Suichi." He wanted to know who it was asking him this question, but he hadn't been given permission to speak. For all he knew, this demon was here to tie him up and rape him...and Yoko would be standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. "Hi Suichi," the black-haired demon with the pointed ears was smiling kindly, not a hint of malice in sparkling blue-violet eyes, "My name's Kuronue. You live here with Yoko?" Blinking, Kurama could only nod. The last thing he wanted was to say the wrong thing, or answer to late. 'What if you answer too soon?' he asked himself 'That could get you into just as much trouble?'

In a span of three seconds, a rush of panic entered his body. He'd been looking Kuronue in the eye! That was something he was never allowed to do; not unless ordered to do otherwise. His head snapped downward, arms slowly going up to cover it, waiting for the blows to come. "What's the matter with you, kid?" "I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I shouldn't have looked at you." Of course, this statement just made Kuronue confused as all hells and he wondered why Yoko was living with this obviously mental human. 'He's acting like he's been abused. But...Yoko wouldn't do that.'

"Kuronue, why are you in here?" He looked over his shoulder and gave a grin at the fox, "Oh nothing. I just found this human in your house. Says his names Suichi." Yoko nodded once, "Yes, I know," his voice had an edge of anger, "And he's not supposed to talk to you." He glared pointedly at the human sitting on the hard floor, who shrank away from his gaze, "I'm sorry." Yoko just gave a light, sarcastic and very abrupt laugh. When Yoko stood, his old partner did as well, but not before looking over his shoulder at the human.

'Suichi...? Why didn't Yoko mention you?'

**  
That's the end of the chapter! Woo-hoo, the plot thickens! Please leave a review if you have the time. ...I'm sorry it was so short. It was 3 pages long, but I thought it was a good place to leave it. Don't flame me please! **


	10. Chapter 15

"So, Yoko," Kuronue began lazily, looking at his nails, "How come you didn't mention that human before?" The silver fox turned, smirking, "I saw no reason to do so. He's of no importance, Kuro." The dark-haired demon fell quiet at that, blinking as he let those words sink into his brain. "And yet," he said quietly, "He's living with you. Why is that?" Kurama raised an elegant brow, wondering why his old partner was so interested in the human so suddenly. Yoko paused before answering the question; mostly because he himself didn't know the answer. Why did he stay in Ningenkai with the boy? 'Perhaps it's because of Shiori. Do I feel guilt in deceiving her? Is that why I can't kill him off and have it done with?' He mentally shook himself; that was ridiculous. Demons simply did not form bonds with humans; it was an unheard of abomination that most of his fellow kitsune would certainly not take lightly. 'And yet' the logical side of him persisted, 'You bonded with Shiori. She was the mother that you didn't have as a kit, wasn't she?' He really couldn't think of a response to that question; and perhaps he shouldn't try. After all, conversing with oneself is hardly considered healthy... He pulled himself back into reality when he noted that someone was playing with his tail. 

"Kuronue?" "Hm?" The white-haired demon sighed, closing his eyes before opening them again and giving his lover a patient smile, "Must you do that every time I start thinking about something?" Kuronue gave a single nod, "Of course!" Honey-gold eyes rolled to the left, betraying his calm mask. "Sorry Yoko," the bat said with a smile, "I'm not trying to make you angry." He wrapped his arms around the slim waist, "Why don't you...tell me more about Suichi?" Kurama's eyes darkened, brow lowering as he pulled out of the embrace, "Why are you so interested in him?" The jealousy could clearly be both seen in his stance and heard in his tone. Kuronue mentally told himself to back away. "No reason," he said, locking his fingers behind his head, "I was just curious." Yoko looked at him oddly, but let it pass, planning on bringing it up later on...

Suichi sat on the floor, eyes half-lidded and frighteningly unfocused. His breathing was coming shallowly...but perhaps what was most unnerving was the smile on his face. His red hair hung listlessly around his face, some of it falling over his eye, but he didn't bother moving it. He was hardly aware that it was there. 'Mother...when will I see you again?' He longed for her embrace, the warm smell of cinnamon that lingered in her hair and on her fair skin. He wanted to hear her whispered lullabies and those stories that he'd never believed, but listened to never the less. He knew the only way he could see her was in death, and even that wasn't a guarantee. 'Would Yoko's sins be weighed on me, despite our separation?' Sluggishly, he pulled his knees to his chest and rest his chin on his caps. He closed his eyes, allowing old memories, long forgotten images, to flood his mind.

He remembered meeting them all, those he had grown to call his friends. 'Not anymore' a voice hissed 'You have no friends. It is all a lie!'Slowly, he raised his hand to the inside of his arm, digging his nails in before dragging them downwards to create gouges in the soft flesh. He smiled, repeating the action multiple times, crossing over the wounds, scars and bruises...

Yoko was quite comfortable in his position of lying atop his lover, ear pressed to the tanned chest, the heartbeat thudding in his mind; a soothing, monotonous lullaby. Likewise, Kuronue himself was in a calm state, gently running his fingers through the white hair; the very hands that could kill him were caressing him so gently. 'Inari' Yoko thought to himself 'I've gone soft!' He shrugged it off, deciding to mentally berate himself later. Now he just wanted to lie here. Kuronue chuckled when the fox nudged his hand after a pause, prompting him to continue the soothing petting motion. "Yoko, I've never seen you so domesticated!" Said demon looked up at him, eyes narrowed in a mock-angry expression before he snorted and lay his head down again. Slowly, his tail moved to curl around Kuronue's leg. The black-haired demon smiled lightly, but as quickly as it came, it was gone.

"Ne, Yoko," he said quietly, "Why do I smell blood?" Yoko didn't respond; he gently traced the tanned chest with the tip of a sharp claw, drawing invisible patterns. "Probably Suichi," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "Well," the younger demon spoke up again, "Should you go check on him?" A soft snort was his only answer.

Suichi sat still, stone-like as he watched the blood run mesmerizingly down his pale skin. 'Yoko was right...I am weak, aren't I?' He smiled; a haunting, eerie smirk that caused the cut on his face to open again. Odd; he didn't remember receiving that particular injury. His shoulders trembled with a silent chuckle, which soon morphed into a sickeningly wicked laugh that rang in his ears. Somewhere in his mind, he knew that whatever sanity he had retained was slipping away from him; water through bloodied fingers.

Yoko looked up at the staircase, wondering what on earth the human was doing up there. Kuronue himself felt a shiver go up his spine; hearing laughter wasn't at all a good sign. 'Not with how he was acting earlier...' "Yoko," he said, not letting his nervousness be heard in his voice, "Should I go check on him? Or you, since you live with him?" The fox stared at the floor, brow furrowed slightly. "You do it," he whispered, "I don't want to lose my temper with him..." 'I can't have him slip away any further...his foolish little friends are already suspecting that our relationship is less than healthy...' Kuronue silently walked up the stairs, feeling the smooth wood of the handrail beneath his calloused palm. He suddenly felt very cold...

"Suichi?" He tapped lightly on the wood door with his knuckles, "Are you alright in there?" The scent was sickening here. He turned the knob slightly, letting the room be revealed to him and his eyes widened at the sight before him. The redhead sat still on the floor, bloodied hands placed flat before him, with the insides of his arms facing his body. He was trembling with silent laughter, long red hair hiding his face. Kuronue walked over to him, the heels of his boots an echoing clack against the wooden floor. The demon knelt silently, trying to look the human in the eye. "Suichi, look at me." The trembling abruptly stilled, Suichi raising his head to look the demon in the eye. A smirk was on his face, eyes wide and glimmering with what Kuronue could only decipher as madness, sick humor. "What the hell did you do?" He wanted to throw up from the smell, but managed to hold back the growing nausea.

Kurama held up his arms, laughing, "I'm bleeding..." he whispered, as if telling a secret, "But that doesn't matter, does it? Yoko doesn't care, Yusuke and Hiei aren't here anymore...I'm going to stop hurting soon. See?" He laughed again, the sound growing louder and more high-pitched. Kuronue winced inwardly, keeping his outward features stoic. "You stay," he said, speech slower and much more clear than usual, "I'm going to get Yoko up here." The smile vanished immediately as Suichi's bloody hand shot out to grip the thief's wrist, "No! Yoko can't know! He'll be angry..." his voice lowered, "It's a very bad idea to make him mad..." Kuronue forced himself to smile, "Alright. I won't tell him...but I'm going to bandage those," he gestured to Suichi's arms, "So you don't bleed anymore...okay?" He made it a question at the last second, not wanting to appear threatening or dominant in any way. Suichi just stared, beyond Kuronue's shoulder, as if something very interesting stood there. "Suichi, did you hear me?" He nodded slowly, the smile coming back, "But...it's so pretty. I won't argue..." Kuronue stood and went into the bathroom where he assumed the medical supplies would be...

The demon tied off the bandaging with a sigh. He was grateful that the wounds were not as deep as he had first assumed; he wouldn't die, but Suichi would certainly be in a lot of pain once he regained coherency. "When is mother coming home?" Suichi asked, eyes wide and shining with what could only be described as childish innocence despite the dark circles beneath them.

"I don't know," Kuronue said quietly. 'Didn't Yoko say his mother died?' He fell backwards from his crouching position and into a full sit, knees up with his elbows resting on them and hands entwined between. "Where did she go?" It took a moment for Suichi to answer; when he did, it was in a calm, quiet voice, "She went away..." 'Does he knew she's dead?' His eyes widened, "Suichi, did you do this so you could see her again?" With no warning, tears filled the emerald eyes. "'Kassan died...she hates me and I want to see her again. I want to apologize!" He held his head in his hands, fingers pulling at crimson hair. Kuro just stared wide-eyed.

"He tried to commit suicide..."

"I'm going to go see Yoko," Kuronue said, standing, "And you're coming with me." The redhead opened his mouth as if to protest, but instead grabbed Kuronue's arm and clutching it, more than likely to feel secure in going to his abuser. "Okay," he whispered. Both kept their pace slow; Suichi because he was dizzy, and Kuronue out of simple courtesy.

"So," Yoko said when he saw the two enter the den, "What happened?" Suichi shivered, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms, one heavily bandaged, around Kuronue's torso. 'I shouldn't feel this safe around him...he's a demon.' "Suichi hurt himself," Kuronue said firmly, "And said something about his mother coming home."

For a split second, the bat thought he saw something close to sadness flash across the golden eyes. But it was gone before he could see it clearly enough. Roughly, the kitsune grabbed Suichi's injured arm, yanking him forward and throwing him onto the floor, "Foolish boy. What the hell are you thinking??" His whisper was far more unnerving than a yell would have been, sending shivers along Suichi's spine. A heel connected sharply, accurately with his ribcage, causing a chocked scream to emerge from his lips. Each blow was more brutal than the last, and soon Suichi couldn't get enough air in to scream. Kuronue, snapping out of his state of shock, grabbed Yoko's arms and pulled him away. "What the hell are you doing?!"

**  
End of the chapter! What did you think? I added some Kuronue and Suichi bonding in here...I'll probably add more 'cause I love Kuronue! Please leave a review if you have the time! **


	11. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Kurama flinched at the sudden cry, clutching his torso as he felt the bruises slowly begin to form upon his soft flesh. "What the hell are you doing?!" He looked up at the cry; eyes shadowed by his long bangs, and nearly felt his heart stop as he saw Kuronue holding Yoko's arms roughly around the biceps in what could only be described as the Nelson Hold.

His eyes were blazing, red bleeding into the honey-gold as his mind comprehended what was going on. His lover, and partner, was holding him back in a rather painful position, all for the sake of that worthless human boy. Part of him was hurt, and the other part was infuriated. Snarling, he twisted his foot around Kuronue's ankle and, in a breath, had him down on the floor. "What in the seven hells has gotten into you, Kuronue?" The bat demon stared, wide-eyed and incredulous, "Me? What the hell has gotten into you? You're the one completely going psycho on Suichi!" His usually calm blue eyes were currently burning with anger, bordering on rage, as he looked the fox in the eye. Yoko slowly felt his clenched jaw relaxed as he looked at the expression on his lover's face. 'He's never been this angry with me before...' he thought to himself. Somewhere in what most thought was a frozen heart, he felt a small ache; what did Kuronue care?

"What happened to you?" Kuro's voice was lower now, brows furrowed and an expression on his face somewhere between sorrow and pity. "Why did you change so much...? After sixteen years...human years, mind you, you've become a different person..." The kitsune closed his eyes, not wanting to look at the beautiful face right now; it hurt him too much. Hurt him to know that he'd hurt Kuronue... 'Again' he reminded himself, 'You've hurt him again.' The black-haired of the two took a deep breath, nostrils flaring as he exhaled and regarding the face of his lover. A sort of sadness was there, but his aura revealed stress and anxiety...and many more muddled emotions he couldn't make out. Yoko shook his head slightly, opening his eyes and turning away, "I think I should leave for a while...for reflection." Then, in a flash of white, he was gone.

Kuronue looked sadly at the place where Yoko had stood; the smell of salt lingered. 'Tears? But...Yoko doesn't cry. Not about this sort of thing...' He turned to Suichi and knelt in front of him, "You alright?" he said quietly. The human nodded eyes wide as they reflected pain and confusion. "Kuronue, you should-" "I should stay here and make sure nothing's broken. He'll be okay. He's tough." 'At least, I hope so.' Kuronue slowly removed the human's shirt to survey the damage.

Yoko perched quietly at the top of a tree branch, face stubbornly devoid of emotion despite the thoughts racing through his mind and the ache in his heart. 'Why do I hurt the one I love?' he wondered silently 'And why is he so defensive of Suichi?' His ears went back slightly in annoyance and, perhaps a bit of jealousy. Kitsune were naturally possessive of their mates; seeing Kuronue react that way to Suichi must have set off a subconscious fuse inside of him. Caring for someone was a strange thing to feel indeed. Sighing, he ran his fingers through untangled white hair, and prepared himself to do something he hadn't done for many, many years; apologize. 'But, it would probably be better to wait until after he's calmed down a bit.' Leaning against the trunk of the strong tree, he closed his eyes and flicked his tail up to cover his lap. He might be here for a while, after all...

Kuronue smoothed his ponytail as he leaned back to check the bandages. Suichi had more wounds than he'd first thought, so the process took a bit longer than usual. The redhead kept his eyes down as he buttoned his shirt, whispering a small thank you. His eyes wandered from Kuronue, to the door, the floor and back. Yoko could walk in at any moment. "Don't be so scared," Kuronue whispered, "He went somewhere to cool off...he probably won't be back for quite a while." He leaned back on his heels, elbows on his knees, and looked the human up and down. Bruises on his face and neck, more than likely even more on his chest. "Take your shirt off," he said softly. The human hesitated, but did as told after quick consideration. 'He's been kind...but he could easily lose his temper and hurt me.'

Blue eyes narrowed when he saw the scars and bruises. "How long," his voice was low and held an edge of anger, "Has he been doing this to you? And why hasn't anyone helped?" Suichi swallowed, trying to clear the lump in his throat, before answering. He explained how some of his friends had been over, but had lied to them. "I don't want him to hurt them," he mumbled, "Or he might start treating me even worse than he does now." Kuronue furrowed his brow and, with a sigh, undid the ribbon holding his hair; it tumbled over his shoulder like a black waterfall. He always thought more clearly when the ponytail wasn't tugging at his scalp, strange as it was. Emerald eyes focused on it, and slowly, Suichi reached out his hand... 'What the hell are you doing?' He inwardly winced at the voice and pulled his arm back to his body. What was he thinking? Kuro smiled and raised his eyebrow, a glint in his eye, "Something wrong?" He shook his head, not able to think straight. Sighing, the demon ran his fingers through his hair.

Why did Kurama suddenly have the urge to do the same? 'I wonder...if it's as soft as it looks...' Kuronue wouldn't hurt him; he hadn't raised a hand to him or yelled at him yet. Slowly, biting his lower lip slightly, he combed the black hair with his slender hand; it ran through his fingers like water. Kuro made a sound that could only be compared to a purr, and Suichi did something he hadn't done without fear for so long; he smiled.

**Scene**

Yoko sighed as he stretched out his sore muscles, back arching in a cat-like manner, bones popping pleasantly with the movement. He opened honey eyes and surveyed the location of the sun; it was late evening. 'I've been gone longer than I thought. Damn; Kuro's probably pissed at me.' Sighing, he ran his fingers through his hair, ears going back and popping back up, much to his annoyance. 'I'm going to have to apologize to him...' Something he had never been very good at. Even when he meant it...it came out as sarcastic and somehow crude. So, he would have to practice. 'Apologizing to no one...that wouldn't make me look insane at all' came the sarcastic thoughts. But, he shook his head anyways in decision that it would be for the best. In a blur of white, he was gone.

**Scene**

Golden eyes widened to an impossible size when they beheld what was going on through the window. Kuronue was sitting on the couch...with Suichi in his lap while he embraced him. It made him angry and depressed at the same time. Slowly, sadness drowned the cold, calculating look in his eyes as his large, white fox ears dropped to lay forward on his head. He turned away, unable to look anymore...

Kuronue's nose twitched. 'That scent...Yoko?' He opened his deep blue eyes, brushing his bangs out of the way as he did so, just in time to see an unbearably depressed look come to the fox's face before he leapt from the tree and off to only Inari-knew where. 'Damn' he cursed himself, looking down at Suichi. "Hey kid," he mumbled, "Wake up." Emerald eyes opened slowly, blinking sleep away before finally coming into focus. "You got anyone I can leave you with?" Kuronue said bluntly, "I...suddenly remembered something I need to get done in Demon World." Suichi nodded, "I'm...sure I could go to Genkai's," he smiled softly, "You go to Makai though. It's not as though I'm completely invalid and can't get there on my own." The demon smiled and pulled his very-broken hat on, ruffling the red hair before racing out the door, leaving Suichi to sit and wonder where all that had come from. 'He seemed worried about...something...damn it. Yoko's going to be angry.' He decided not to think about that for the time being. Pulling his cloak on and hoping the weather wouldn't bring his fever up too terribly, he calmly walked out the back door, mapping the route to Genkai's in his head.

He tried not to think about the blood seeping through the bandages...

**And...end chapter! What did you think? Was it worth the wait? Sorry! My back has been killing me for three or four days now and I was pretty much stuck in bed with a heating pad all that time. I hope no one's too pissed!**

--Yokocw


	12. Chapter 17

**Slight spoiler: Yoko's going to be OOC in this chapter; I wanted to show his "softer side." I hope you like it anyways...**

Suichi bit lightly on his lower lip, brow furrowed with nerves; he had that paranoid feeling that someone's eyes were pinned on him. Yet, every time he turned around, there would only be an empty street or a few strangers passing by. The human kept emerald eyes pinned to the ground, quickening his pace despite the fire racing through his damaged ribcage. The wind played with his hair, blowing it in front of his face. Irritated, he yanked it all back and tied it with a red ribbon. Surprisingly, he didn't even know he owned it. Just to make everything even better, a car rushed by and sprayed filthy-puddle water all over him. A small smile came over his lips, anger and obvious irritancy in his eyes; this wasn't going to be fun at all. He was going to get even sicker walking there soaking wet. 'But at least I'll get there.' He snorted to himself. Sure now the optimist decided to speak up.

"Minamino-san!" He froze with eyes wide and reflections of fear racing in his mind. 'Calm down' logic told him 'It's a female's voice. Definitely not Yoko.' Stiffly, he turned to see Doctor Saraya walking towards him, her brown hair down and she wore a light-purple dress beneath a brown, knee length coat. "Hello," she said with a smile once she'd caught up, "It's so nice to see you up and about!" He bowed despite his pain, "Saraya-san," he stood with a believable yet fake smile, "I take it your doing well?" She nodded, straightening her coat collar with her perfectly manicured hands, "Yes. It would be so much better if this weather would let up though!" The redhead nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable, "Well, I really should get going. I've got an appointment with a friend." He smiled and she wished him well before they both continued on their ways. Suichi half-expected Yoko to scream at him, despite the obvious illogic behind that fear. 'But then, which of my fears is logical to begin with?'

What was "logical" or "normal" about his life anyways? After all, he had begun his life possessed by a demon and then, somewhere along the way, there was a separation. Now, he was a basic slave to the one who had given him life. 'Despite the fact that no one knows why we split in the first place...' A sudden rush of dizziness forced him against the wall, shaking hands pressing against it in an attempt to keep his balance. He had no idea what time it was...though judging by the fact that it was dark and there was a half-moon out already, it was a little past 8:30. He hated daylight savings time. Why? He really had no idea. Perhaps it was because it made the darkness last so much longer, and when you were locked up in either a basement or a bland room all day, it got boring [and sometimes frightening in half a blink of an eye. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself off the brick and began the long walk again. Oddly...the thought of being mugged, while it was on his mind, didn't frighten him. 'After what Yoko did, a threat with a simple knife to the throat is nothing.' Collar high, he kept his head down [of course and his hands in his pockets.

Suichi didn't know exactly when he left the city...all he knew was that he was standing in front of the high stairs that would lead him up to Genkai's temple. His heart was pounding, palms sweating and thin frame trembling. Both from exertion and nerves. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around his too-thin torso, eyes fixated on the ground below his tired feet. He mentally debated going in; would they disapprove of him walking in uninvited? 'Will they be angry?' He shook his head; it was Genkai and Yukina for the gods' sakes! They'd never yelled at him, never scorned him. Yoko's abuse had taken a toll on him; more mentally than physically, it seemed.

Numbly, he banged his fist once on the tall, solid wood fence that was outside the temple grounds, just at the top of the stairs. Access was denied unless one from the inside opened the gate, or you knew the password that would unseal the spell that Genkai had set on it. 'And of course, that would only be Yusuke...' Sighing, he tapped again, watching his breath appear before him in a colorless mist. He faintly heard footsteps as the colors before him swam into one rainbowed blur. "Kurama!" Yukina gasped, hands flying up to cover her mouth, as she watched her friend fall lifelessly onto the unforgiving ground. "Genkai!" her usually soft voice echoed in a shriek, birds fleeing their trees at the sudden noise, "Genkai, help!" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "Kurama, come on, wake up. You're alright, I'm here. Yukina's here..." Her sharp nose detected the blood, but she couldn't tell where it was coming from. There were no stains on his coat, pants or skin...nothing to heal if you can't see it. Yukina's cold hands jerkily smoothed his fiery bangs back, tucking the longer strands behind his ears; it was like she couldn't control the movements. The old woman appeared just as she was about to call out a third time. "Yukina," her voice was calm, but held an underlying tone that betrayed her worry at seeing Kurama in such a state, "Take him to his room and check for wounds. I'll call Yusuke and Hiei."

Ruby eyes filled with tears as the ice maiden took in the wounds covering almost every inch of her friend's body. His chest rose and fell jerkily with his wheezing breaths, hands clenching as he struggled with an attacker in his dream. Yukina put her hands a hair's breadth away from his skin, youki surrounding her in a pale blue glow as the wounds shrank and healed. Sweat beaded on her brow; there were more than she'd first assumed. 'I hope he doesn't wake up...he wouldn't be happy to find himself more than half naked with a woman here...'

When his body was looking...less than shredded, she pulled away and started stroking his hair again, whispering words of comfort in an attempt to pull him away from his nightmares. With one hand, she pulled his clothes back on and stroked the tear stains from his face, careful of the bruises she still needed to fix. She would have to wait until her ki returned before she could do anymore.

**  
**

**IN DEMON WORLD**

"Yoko!" Kuronue's legs were aching as he leapt from the branches, determined to catch up with his partner. He'd gone to the old cave; their treasury and home while they were still working together. Somewhere along the way, he'd lost the ribbon holding his hair up, so it flew out behind him like a cloak of ink. With a thud, he landed in front of the hollowed stone, wrinkling his nose at the scent of stale blood. "Yoko?" The bat's voice echoed, footsteps almost deafening in the silence. "Come on, you can't stay mad at me forever!"

"Of course I can."

Kuro jumped at the cold, deep voice that seemed to come from nowhere. Blue eyes scanned the cave before coming across a white figure sitting in a large chair in the corner, tail wrapped around his long legs in what appeared to be an effort at comforting himself. Cautiously, Kuronue walked over; it would be a bad idea to piss him off now. "Why are you here?" the fox growled, "Are you going to brag about how much you love the little human? How happy you are that you have someone that..." he stopped dead, finding it difficult to speak around the lump in his throat. "You can have the slut! Go ahead...! I hope you're happy together." He covered his eyes with a long-fingered, slender hand, trying to hide the tears shining within the golden depths.

"Yoko, what in the seven hells are you talking about?" Kurama gave a barking, abrupt laugh. "Don't speak as if I'm telling a lie! You know as well as I that...you find Suichi so much more suiting for a mate than I." His voice lowered, "And frankly, I think you'll be happy together." Kuronue furrowed his brow, listening to the gasping, almost hiccup-like breaths his lover was making. 'Is he crazy?'

"He's beautiful after all..." Yoko's voice was a mumble now, blocked by the lump in his throat and the swelling feeling that came to the mouth after one cried for an extended period of time; the one that came right before the hiccups. "He's thinner...more noticeable. His mother never sold him to strange men out of hatred...his father never tried to bed him and he wasn't beaten near death by his so-called_ parents_." He spat the last word as if it was diseased.

Kuronue's eyes couldn't be any wider; is that what had been bothering him? Yoko felt unworthy? "Kurama," he whispered, walking over and kneeling beside the chair, "I don't love Suichi...not that way." A disbelieving snort as his answer and Kuronue's looked right at the pale face, the bloodshot honey eyes, "Yoko, is that's what's been bothering you? Why would you suddenly think about-" Kuronue stopped dead, feeling like someone had hit him right in the stomach. Yoko's birthday was coming up; the day his father had first raped him, the day his mother had beaten him in a drunken rage for bleeding on the carpet. This was the day he'd run away and was "taken in" by bandits. Slowly, he raised a hand to wipe away the tear stains, flinching as Yoko yanked his head away. "Just go away! ...I can't look at you right now Kuronue." Biting his lip, Kuronue stood and turned around, looking over his shoulder at the broken fox before him. "I'm truly sorry..."

Yoko didn't raise his head...

Sorry that took so long! My mouth hurts SO BAD right now...I got my teeth pulled yesterday. I'm also sorry if you hate that chapter...I wanted to break that image of Yoko being heartless...please review if you have time!

--Yokocw 


	13. Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Kurama..." a voice called out to him, sing-song tone sending chills up his spine as his ears pitched forward. He wrapped a long, white tail around his legs. "Come out, pretty fox...I won't hurt you." He shook his head, hands over his ears as he attempted to block out the voice. He hummed tunelessly to himself; anything to serve as a distraction. A pale hand shot beneath the bed to grip his tail, yanking him out from his one place of safety. "Papa, please!" He looked into the bloodshot eyes of the tall man before him; he had long, dark blue hair with black highlights, piercing red eyes gazing down at his son with a frightening look of lust. "Pretty kit," he whispered, "Don't you know better than to run from your father?" Yoko trembled as he tried to curl up into a ball, to protect himself, but the tugging on his tail stopped him, "Please papa, stop. It hurts..." "Don't try to get away from me", came the alcohol-soaked whisper. The smell made Kurama want to gag. "You know it never does any good...it'll feel good, I promise..." The kit closed his eyes as a familiar hand moved to touch him between his legs...

"NO!" Yoko shot upwards, chest heaving as his eyes darted about the room, looking for a man that had died long ago, but was still very much alive in his nightmares. "He's gone...it was just a dream..." he whispered through the pants, leaning back against the wall as he looked at the deep red his room was turning. Sunrise... He snorted, "Happy birthday, Kurama," he muttered to himself, rubbing his face tiredly as he tried to rid himself of the disgusting feeling that dream always left him with. Slowly, he stood up, using the wall to support his shaking frame as he made his way into the kitchen-like part of his den for a cup of tea. Kuronue still wasn't back...it was too quiet without the younger demon snoring. For the hundredth time in his life, he damned his father to hell. He was the reason for the nightmares and the reason why he was so hesitant to trust. 'He's the reason I became a thief...' he mused to himself 'Ironically...papa was the reason I met Kuro.' It was almost laughable. He closed his eyes, hoping to calm himself, but only seeing a familiar, terrified redhead behind his closed lids. He opened them quickly, brow furrowing as he wondered why he was seeing this now. "Stupid boy..." He tossed his tea into the sink, slamming the mug on the counter. He wasn't so thirsty anymore...

Hiei and Yusuke entered the temple grounds together, holding hands tightly in anticipation. The human gently stroked his thumb over the back of Hiei's hand, feeling him tremble and attempting to calm him down. Yukina was pouring tea into cups, still beside Kurama's bed, her delicate brow furrowed. "Yukina?" Hiei's voice was low, as if trying not to awaken the fox, or perhaps not scare his sister, "Is everything alright?" Slowly, she raised her head, eyes filled with tears. "Hiei-niisan!" The ice maiden ran into his arms, sobbing into his shoulder while he awkwardly pat her back, while wondering what could make her react like this. "How?" she whispered harshly, "How could we have not known? How could he suffer so long?!" She sounded uncharacteristically fierce, making Hiei feel more uneasy than he already was. He couldn't answer her question; he himself wondered the same thing.

A tapping made the both of them look up, staring at a slowly moving shadow behind the thin rice paper of the sliding form. Suichi was stumbling along the floor, hands at his chest to keep the yukata closed. The shoji door slammed open and he leaned against the frame heavily, breathing labored and sweat beading on his brow. "Yukina," he gasped, "How long have I been here?" There was a...look in his eyes; a gleam of some sort. He looked almost crazy, obviously in a state of raw panic. "Not long...two hours," she hid the worry in her voice; he obviously didn't remember even coming down to the temple. "Kurama, you came here because you're hurt." Slowly, he relaxed, the tension draining from his shoulders; he realized quickly how tired he really was. Hiei had to catch him so he wouldn't hit the floor, brow furrowed as he took in the disheveled appearance. Biting his lip, he let the redhead lean against his chest, the slim shoulders trembling with each ragged breath. "I need to...go home," he gasped, "He'll-" "He'll kill you," Hiei interrupted, angered and slightly worried that Suichi would be so eager to go back to such a place. "Kurama, you-" "Suichi!" his voice was harsh, snapping at the young ice maiden; something he had never done, "My name is SUICHI you fools!" Instantly, his hand shot up to cover his mouth, eyes showing the regret he felt; his eyes were filled with fear, sadness. "I...didn't mean to yell," he whispered, as if the sound of his own voice hurt his ears, break him as fragile as glass, "I'm just tired. That's all..." He held his head in his hands, trying to sort out his thoughts before he said something he regretted. Yukina gently set her hands over his own, smiling softly at him, "Please don't apologize," she whispered, "You've done nothing wrong." Hiei didn't say anything, just watched his sister and hoped she could do something to knock some sense into that empty head of the human. "I'm sor-" Kurama bit his lip as he realized he was about to apologize for apologizing. The weight was on his heart again, crushing it slowly. He was confused and hurt, wanting nothing more than to crawl into a hole and never come out. It was too much. Instead, he settled on falling back into Hiei's arms, burying his face in the warm skin of his neck as he sobbed. The fire demon rubbed his back, shushing him softly and telling him he was okay; nothing was going to hurt him here.

"No," Suichi croaked, "Yoko will hurt me. He's going to keep beating me and hating me until I'm dead. It's what he wants...!" He gasped, sobbing again as he shook his head and tried to calm his breathing. He was trembling, hands fisting and pulling at his hair, trying to find something to hang onto. "Maybe...maybe it would be better if I died," he laughed through the tears, "It would make him happy! Things would be so much easier for the rest of you..." He hiccupped before chuckling again, sloppily yanking his hair back so it was out of his eyes, tying it back with a ribbon. "You wouldn't have to do this for me," he was whispering now, "None of you would have to worry about me or waste your energy healing me." He raised broken, emerald eyes to Hiei and smiled, wiping his face with his sleeve, "Please forgive me Hiei. I know you don't like to be burdened with such emotional nonsense." The young demon didn't know how to reply to that. Never much one for eloquence in words, he smoothed the fire-red bangs from the delicate forehead, kissing the area before pulling away. "Never," he whispered, "Will you be a burden to me. And don't you dare think of your own death. Yoko's just getting in your head, trying to make you see things in yourself that aren't there."

Suichi swallowed thickly, pressing his lips together briefly before he took a bold action to lean forwards, wrapping his arms around Hiei's neck in a tight hug.

'Please don't turn away...don't push me away. This is what I need...'

The fire demon stiffened in surprise for only a moment before returning the embrace, running his fingers through the blood-colored hair and kissing his neck, whispering what he hoped to be words of comfort. Suichi didn't even realize he was crying until he had to inhale; then the sensation of tears on his face reached him and he began to sob harder as the demon rocked him. "Suichi," Hiei whispered, "It's okay. You'll be alright." Closing his eyes, the redhead entangled his fingers in the dark hair, "Why Hiei?" he whispered hoarsely, voice thick from the tears, "Why does he hate me?" No answer was given, for it was not known to anyone but Yoko himself. All Hiei could think to do was whisper in his ear, rocking ever so slowly back and forth. If that's what it took, both would have let the world slip through their fingers, if only to stay like that forever...

**What did you guys think? Was it too short? I don't really know anymore! But I wanted to end it there. Yoko will be in the next chapter. I hope you guys liked it! Please review if you have time! Thank you SO much to those who have, I've responded to you individually before, because you're the ones keeping me writing! I finally got the spacers in, by the way! Then I get the braces :( It makes me sad... Eh. Thank you for reading/reviewing, as always!**

**--Yoko**


	14. Chapter 19

His golden eyes were shining as he leapt silently from the trees, the purple sky of Demon World looming ominously above him. Red thunder cracked, sending bloodied light across the empty grasslands. His nine tails fanned out behind him, paws hitting the bark silently. He crouched there for a moment, eyes narrowed, taking in the sight of the bird sitting innocently three branches down. Yoko could hear the blood rushing in his ears, his heart beating his ribcage hard enough to bruise, though the pain didn't stop him. It was almost funny how he could run while having no idea where he was going. 'No one will bother me, at least' he mused to himself. 'No one threatens a murderous thief.' Several things ran through his mind at once; Kuronue, his father, his human mother, and Suichi...and each of them seemed to depress him. 'Where did it all go wrong??' 

Had it been the day he and Suichi had split? The day he'd died and reincarnated? Had it been on that heist that Kuronue had died? 'Perhaps it was when Arella first conceived me...' The bird's bones cracked between his teeth, strong jaw killing it immediately. Yoko practically floated to the ground, ripping the feathers off and eating the meat beneath, somehow managing to look elegant even when participating in the barbaric act of catching a Makai dinner. He licked the blood from his fur, savoring the taste of the blood and meat before disposing of the carcass. His eyes seemed to darken when he watched the sun go down before him; his white-silver fur always glowed in the moonlight, making it difficult to find protection in the darkness. That was why he rarely slept when in demon world. He could always kill the attacker, but then he would waste energy. He snorted in irritation, a cloud appearing before him as his hot breath hit the icy air, then leapt from the tree. Maybe he could find a hollowed log or a hole...

Kuronue sighed, leaning his head back against the boulder he leaned on while trying to calm his thoughts. He wanted to find Yoko, then kiss him and scream at him for being so foolish. His insecurities were a puzzle; in their last life, such things were never there. 'Or maybe he just never showed them to me...' He groaned, digging the heels of his palms in his eyes as he felt a headache beginning to form. This was really too much to take in right now.

Hiei ran his hand along the sleeping redhead's face, slowly traveling down to the fading bruises on the delicate neck. Half of him was furious, the other half upset that no one could notice this. 'Shiori would certainly not be happy to see her son this way...' His hand trailed up to the blood hair, the strands running freely through his fingers. Suichi muttered something, moving his head towards the caress. The door slid open quietly, Yukina's mouth open as if she were going to say something. Shyly, she smiled,  
"Sorry. I just wanted to let you know that Yusuke is going home." Hiei smiled back at her, "Thank you. I'll be there in a second." When she left, he leaned down to press his lips to Suichi's temple, whispering "I'll be back in a moment" before standing to wish his lover a safe drive home.

The two stood there together beneath the falling snow, gazing out at the grey sky without a word. "Your still thinking about them...right?" Hiei sighed, closing his eyes so he wouldn't see the breath cloud; he didn't need a reminder of how cold it was. Neither did he answer Yusuke's question; the human knew the answer. "Hey, Kurama's tough. He'll be okay." "Kurama" Hiei thought "But not Suichi..." Nevertheless, he looked up and kissed Yusuke's cheek, "Don't crash, okay? If you die from something so pathetic as an icy road, I'll kill you." Yusuke grinned, getting into his car and shutting the door, waving to Hiei before disappearing down the road. Hiei walked back into the temple, wondering what Yoko was thinking. 'Maybe the child will have the reason for this...'

"Ayame," Hiei snarled, "If you don't let me in right now, I'll have your head!" The black haired deity blinked, sighing as she set the files on the desk, "I'm sorry Hiei, but Koenma-sama is very busy and-" The fire demon snorted in disgust, pushing past her and ignoring the rather annoying yelps of protest as he walked in through the large, golden doors. "You, toddler," Hiei all but slammed his bandaged hands on the desk, making the small god lean back with widened eyes, "Kurama. What happened to him?" He got a blank look in response. The fire demon took a deep breath, having the urge to rub his temples in irritation, "The separation you moron. What caused it and how do we fix it?" "Hiei, what are you talking about?" He was about to scream, but, mouth open he leaned back slightly, "You...really don't know?" Enma Jr. shook his head, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table as Hiei sat in a chair before him. "Recently, we found out that Yoko and Suichi split into two different people..."

Koenma sighed heavily, flopping back in his chair and chewing on his pacifier, "That's quite a story alright...but I'm afraid since we don't know exactly what happened, we can't fix it either." "Can't we at least get a...restraining order or something on Yoko?! If Suichi dies..." He couldn't finish; he couldn't think about that. He didn't even want to have the image of Kurama in his mind, eyes closed and delicate lips tinged blue. An unnoticed shiver ran up his spine from the very notion. Very slowly, he stood up, "I'll be needing to use your library," he said, walking out, "Maybe I can fix this hell Kurama's in..." When the doors banged shut, the god visibly relaxed; the last thing he needed was to be skewered by a katana...

**_Scene_**

"Yoko?" The fox didn't open his eyes, staying curled up inside the log, knowing Kuronue was kneeling in front of it. "Come on, kitsune, come out. You know I'm just as stubborn as you are...I'll catch my death out here if I have to! Come out here so I can talk to you." Yoko knew very well that Kuronue was not that stupid, but he stepped out nevertheless, cracking his sore spine as he sat before the bat demon.

"So," he said telepathically, "Talk." He sighed, "I...I know I said it already, but I'm sorry. I don't love Suichi. I love you damn it." 'Please believe me, Yoko. I don't want to hurt you anymore.' "I know you've been through a lot of shit in your life and you don't need any from me...but...does Suichi need it?" The white fur bristled at the mention of the name, but the fox didn't say anything. Honey eyes darkened and, for a moment, Kuronue thought he might run off. But, instead, he found himself with a ball of white fur curled up in his lap. "I don't want to feel this way anymore, Ku-chan," the telepathic whisper came, "I dont want to hurt..."

"You don't have to...I promise."

Yoko wanted so desperately to believe him...

**_sigh_ A short chapter, but I wanted to end it there. Yes, I know Yoko and Kuronue made up pretty fast there, but neither seem immature enough to hold a grudge against each other. I hope you liked it! Please review if you have the time . Yoko's becoming more emotional, yes? Is that a good thing for you guys?  
Thank you so much for all of your reviews! _bows and throws chocolate_  
.**


	15. Chapter 20

Hiei groaned, hands in his lap as he banged his head against the open book three times before resting it against the page he had read over many times. "I have read everything in here on splitting souls," he sighed, "And, pathetically, nothing has a reason or a cure." He didn't know whether to laugh, scream or just burn the place down. After a moment, he calmly sat up and flipped the pages again, red-brown eyes scanning the pages for something, anything that would help him. The cover closed with a loud snap as Hiei cursed the writers... 

**Scene  
**Yoko was purring as Kuronue's nails scratched gently along his spine and tailbone before running along the smooth tails at the end. His ears twitched the tip of his left one drooping as he realized that Kuro was humming for him. 'It's been a while since he did that...' Not that he was complaining, nor would he ever tell Kuronue how much he enjoyed it. "Yoko," he said softly, "Why don't we go find a cave so we don't freeze to death in the morning?" The fox chuckled inwardly, nudging his lover's hand before standing, stretching each leg individually before walking forward, his two-legged partner following with a tune in his throat.

Suichi smiled slightly as he listened to Yukina humming to the birds, occasionally whispering to them little nonsensical things that he didn't care to listen to the details of. He himself was chopping vegetables for a stew, hoping Genkai would like it, as well as some herbs he'd grown. "It smells delicious Kurama," the ice maiden's musical voice drifted to him and he smiled as he turned around. A sparrow had perched on her shoulder, pecking lightly at her cheek and then hopping down to her birdseed-filled hand. "Thank you Yukina," he said quietly, "I hope it tastes good...and will your feathered friend be staying for supper?" She smiled, ruby eyes glittering, and then pet the little bird on the head with her index finger, "If I can find the seeds...I could have sworn I left them in the closet." She smiled, hitting herself lightly in the forehead with a giggle, "I can be a little airheaded sometimes; I put something down and then it just disappears on me!" Suichi smiled at her, the bird perching itself on the counter comfortably and listening to their conversation.

Yukina looked up suddenly, and then walked to the door without a word. When Suichi looked at her strangely, she mumbled that Hiei was back, and that he was upset about something. Not two seconds afterwards, a very irritated-looking fire demon slammed the shouji door open and then shut, heaving a sigh. "Nothing," he said to her, not seeming to acknowledge the redhead standing a foot behind her, "They didn't have anything useful at that goddamned library." Suichi bowed his head, setting the knife back on the counter; he hadn't meant to cause Hiei so much trouble. The twins sat beside one another before the low table, Yukina saying something about him needing to wear a thicker cloak so he doesn't die of a chill. Silently, Suichi went back to the counter and finished making the stew...

**Scene  
**Blue eyes were focused on the fire, their owner running his fingers through long white hair. Kuro was in a sort of daze, though his lover didn't ask what he was thinking of; he wasn't sure he even wanted to know. Yoko slowly stretched, hearing the pleasant pop of his joints and the soreness was immediately eased. "Kuronue?" his voice was a whisper that the other had to strain to hear, despite his sharpened sense of hearing. "I'm sorry." Kuronue smiled softly, leaning forward and kissing the top of his lover's head and taking in the subtle scent of jasmine, "You're forgiven." He needed no explanation as to why the fox was apologizing.

Yoko sat up suddenly, narrowly missing head butting Kuronue in the process, and then looked at the bat with a very fox-like grin on his face. "You know what?" he said, ears flicking sideways, "I think we need to go have some fun." Kuronue tried, he really did, to put on a glaring, parental and very scolding expression as he said "What kind of fun?" but just the same found himself with a smile. "You'll see..."

**Scene**

The ringing of a telephone brought Genkai forcibly from her state of mid-heavy meditation. Knowing Yukina and Suichi were in the garden she [albeit grumpily stood and went to the phone, "Hello?" "Geeze, grandma, miss your nap?" The old woman sighed, resting the telephone between her shoulder and ear while patting her pocket; she would need a cigarette badly if she was going to carry on a conversation with her...shall we say slow student. She lit it calmly, exhaling then holding the phone properly once more, "So, what is it, dimwit?" There was a pause, and Genkai banged her forehead against the wall; she knew exactly what the silence was for. 'Why does he bother calling? He forgets why unless he spits it out immediately...' There was an 'aha' from Yusuke's end, "Hiei thinks he's got something on this whole Suichi-Yoko-separation doohickey. He wanted to make sure you were home so he could come and talk to you about it...it's a little dangerous..."

Now it was Genkai's turn to pause; how dangerous was it? She heard Yukina laugh; she could almost see Suichi smiling falsely back at her while trying to hide the sadness in his eyes. "Alright. Send Botan up here with the information."

**Scene**  
"Kuronue...for Inari's sake," Yoko said, but he was laughing as he said this. The bat demon had his lips attached to the thin, pale neck, leaving little red marks. "Hm?" The fox tilted his head back, allowing more access to his throat. His slender body shivered. "Are you afraid?" he whispered, "You're shaking..." Yoko smirked, "You're teeth are on my throat, my love. It's only natural..." He gasped at the gentle suckling on his pulse.

"Ne, Yoko...you haven't changed." He smiled, knowing that Kuronue was speaking of the slight fetish of loving his neck ravished in such a way. "And...That's a bad thing?" The black haired demon shook his head, kissing slowly down to the smooth chest, caressing the skin there, "Did I say that?" Kuronue flipped their position so he lay atop of Yoko, a leg on each side of the slender hips, kissing the smooth forehead. The fox quirked a white brow, wondering what caused this sudden mood, but not wanting to ruin it with answers that would more than likely receive an uninformative answer. "Your beautiful," Kuronue's voice was a husky whisper, his breath hot against the fox's ear; it sent shivers down his spine to hear it, to feel it. It was strange...knowing he was real. Slowly, he wrapped his arm around Kuro's waist, bringing him down for a soft kiss.

**Scene**  
Botan stared, pink eyes blinking, at the computer screen that Koenma had shown her. "A curse?" she muttered, "Well that doesn't make any sense. Who would want to put a curse on Kurama?" The god leaned back in his chair, chewing on his pacifier in irritation as he himself tried to think of an answer to that. Granted, there were many who disliked the Yoko...but who also hated Suichi?

"Could Yoko have done something?" Botan's voice seemed loud in the silence of the room, "With how he's treated Suichi, it doesn't seem unlikely...after all, any damage done to Suichi's body while they were still one would damage him as well..." But then, there would have to be a reason for it.

And the only person who had that reason was Yoko himself...and it would be a damned miracle if the fox was going to tell them anything useful.

Botan tapped lightly on the door with her knuckle, waiting for the old woman who owned the temple to open it. Suichi was the one who did so instead. "Botan. It's nice to see you," he stepped aside with a smile, "Won't you come in?" She did as asked, stepping out of her sandals as she did so. Slowly, the deity pulled her hair from the ponytail, letting the long blue hair fall down her back. "Koenma-sama thinks that this was caused by someone putting a curse on Kurama while Yoko and Suichi were still one." "Who would put a curse on me?" Botan jumped, looking over at the redhead who was wiping his hands on a towel. "Well, well we don't know yet," she said, trying to calm her racing heart. Even as a human, he had an uncanny ability to walk with complete silence. He sighed, bowing his head; had he really been expecting anything different? "Of course not. I'm going to be stuck with him and the way he treats me until I die..."

_Whoot! End of chapter. I'm sorry that took so long. Christmas is coming and I've been wrapping stuff like crazy. I really hope your guys' holiday goes excellent though! Here's my gift to you all! --Yoko_


	16. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER 21**

Yoko's eyes were unfocused, though happiness could be seen within the golden depths, as he traced patterns on his lover's bare chest with the tip of a claw. Kuronue was running his fingers through the long, white hair, shocked that even after their...activities it was soft and free of any kind of tangles. He inwardly snorted, wishing his own hair would do that; he could feel quite a few knots in it but he didn't have the patience to comb them out at the moment. "Kuronue?" A husky whisper drew him from his thoughts, and he found himself looking right into the pure sun-kissed eyes of his lover. He smiled, twisting a strand of moonlight hair around his index finger, "Hm?" The smile wasn't there anymore, and Kuronue couldn't help but feel concerned at the sudden move change.

"Are you thinking about him?"

The bat demon didn't have to ask; he knew Yoko was talking about the red haired human. "No, fox," he whispered, "I'm not." He stared at him a moment longer, but slowly laid his head back down on the tanned chest once more, going back to his imaginary drawing on the smooth skin. He couldn't help but wonder if his lover was lying-

Yoko's eyes snapped open, shocked by his own thoughts. "When did I get this way?" When did he become so damned insecure; so untrusting? Kuronue was his lover for god's sake, and here he was questioning his loyalty. "Yoko, is there something you need to talk about?" He could see behind his closed eyes Kuronue's furrowed brow, the worried expression on the handsome face. "Nothing you don't already know," Yoko's voice was soft, pained, "...But I'm going to apologize to you. I...don't know what's happened to me over the years." Kuronue stretched his arms above his head before bringing one around the thin shoulders, stroking the soft skin. "Just stop thinking," he whispered, "I've always said it would be the death of you." Yoko let out a short laugh, "And should I be empty headed?" He received a kiss in response.

**Scene  
**Suichi hadn't said a word to the ice maiden sitting across from him at the low table. His green eyes were locked on the chess board, though his thoughts were clearly not on the game. "Ne, Ku-Suichi," he looked up to see the smiling face of Yukina, "Checkmade." He gave a small smile, looking down at the board and analyzing every detail. The redhead sighed, touching his king with the tip of his finger and silently laying it down. There was a moment where the only sound was their breathing, before Suichi looked up, straight-faced and empty-eyed, "Indeed you did, Yukina-chan." She tucked a strand of blue-green hair behind her ear, helping him put the game away without knowing what to say. Setting the top on, she gave him a smile, "I'm sure everything will work out, Suichi-chan."

Hiei stood silently in the other room, undoing the straps of his boots so Genkai wouldn't yell that he'd tracked mud all over the place. He faintly heard his sister's voice, but her naturally soft tone did not give him any way to tell what was being said. "Hey shortstack." His nostrils flared at the nickname the old woman had recently bestowed upon him, dried-blood colored eyes raising to look at the old woman. "Yusuke," he said, "Is he here?" She waved vaguely towards the kitchen, and Hiei went in there without a word. Without greeting his human lover, he banged his forehead down against the counter.

Yusuke sighed, putting down the pan he was cooking on to place a hand on the fire demon's back, trying to be comforting despite the lack of experience he had in such things. "Yusuke?" Hiei's voice was surprisingly clear, and soft, "What the hell are we going to do?" Silence. Hiei's head shot up, narrowly missing banging Yusuke's nose as he did so, slamming his fist against the counter, "Damn it! I'm not going to let him die!"

Suichi tensed, hearing Hiei's voice coming from down the hall and not liking what was being said. "Why won't they just stop trying? There's nothing that can be done..." Yukina, who was sitting by the door and listening, looked over at him and gave him the best smile she could under the circumstances, "Don't be so pessimistic, Kurama-chan. Hiei and Yusuke will figure things out." In his head, Suichi told Yukina to stop being so optimistic, that there wasn"t any point. Slowly, he raised his hand to the bruises located on his upper arm beneath the long-sleeved shirt. He wondered why Yoko hadn't come yet...

**Scene  
**Yoko's eyes were unfocused, staring at a point on the wall while his head rest on the bare stomach of his lover. He didn't register the hand running gently through his white hair, nor did he hear his name being said. His thoughts were jumbled, not making sense to even himself. One moment he was thinking of Shiori, the next Hiei, Kuronue and now he was pondering what he was forgetting. "Yoko?" The whisper got through; he didn't raise his head; it felt too heavy. "Yoko, are you okay?" "Of course I'm okay," he muttered, forcing his body up. Though he wasn't heavy, he had difficulty, his arms aching. He threw on his clothes, not bothering to straighten them as he tightly tied the sash. Kuronue watched him, brow furrowed, as he stumbled to the door and opened it. "Going for a walk." Before he could protest, the door had slammed. Kuronue sat there, lips parted and his lover's name still heavy on his lips.

YOKO POV  
It was cold...why was I freezing when I could so clearly see the red sun, the sky burning bloody from it's intense rays? Why was I shivering, sweating? I listened to the screams of someone far off, listened to the sounds of my footsteps as they hit the tilted earth.

"What happened? Are you okay?" How mocking that voice was. I would kill it...

I turned my head, watching the air pass slowly before my eyes. A scream fell dead in my throat, the air pushed out of me as I lay eyes on the white-haired figure that lay before me, her blue irises glinting cruelly in the crimson light.

"Mother...?"

My body hit the dirt heavily. I watched the cloud of dust rise, listened to her laughter. I waited for the blade to come, waited for her to kill me as I know she'd wanted to do so very deeply.

"Arella?"

She smiled.

I bled.

"Kuronue..."

My own whisper hurt my ears, more so than the wound in my side did. I saw the blood, the black contrasting so heavily, beautifully with the white of my hair and the snow on the ground. Why was it so hot if it was snowing? "When did it snow?" A child screamed.

"Mama stop!"

...My voice...?

She killed me...

_Whoot! End of another chapter...sorry that took so long. I got sudden inspiration again! And I finally figured out what I'm going to do with the ending. **happy dance** Hope you guys liked it! Please review if you have the time Happy New Year!! --Yokocw_


	17. Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO 

"Yoko?"

The white-haired male did not move, gave no indication that he heard the voice.

"Hey, come on, wake up...please wake up."

Everything hurt, but he felt strangely numb. He had no idea where he was or why he was moving when it was so obvious that he was lying down.

"Heartbeat?" His mind registered that one fact; there was a familiar scent, but who it belonged to, he couldn't place. "Thank god," there it was; that voice again, "I'm taking you to a healer. You'll be okay." The fox chuckled, "I have no need to be healed...there's nothing to heal." He opened his eyes, looking at Kuronue's face. He had stopped running, the earth now still beneath his feet as he looked down at the fox resting in his arms. "Yoko," he whispered, "You're boiling hot with a fever, and you've got some weird bruising all over you..." Bruising? 'How could I have gotten hurt?' He sighed, gently nuzzling his lover's chest and giving him a single nod that it was okay for him to keep going.

Kuronue barely felt his feet hit the dirt ground; all that was on his mind was that he had to get the fox to someone. How unfortunate that they had chosen a living place so far away from a town. If he ran the whole way, they could be there by morning. He stared at the sky, the setting sun, and prayed to whatever God existed that it would be okay. "Please keep him safe..." He felt the kitsune shiver in his arms and he cursed the winter snow that had chosen today of all days to take its place in the Makai. Winters here lasted longer than most, and they often plunged to freezing temperatures. And if Yoko was this ill, there was no way he could live through it.

The bat shook his head, "Don't think like that," he whispered to himself, "He'll be fine!" His blue eyes wandered down the unconscious figure resting in his arms, "...You'll be fine..."

**  
Scene**  
Suichi lay quietly on the futon, the covers pulled neatly to his chin as his eyes scanned the ceiling, mentally looking for answers that he knew wouldn't be found until Botan and Koenma told him. 'Who put a curse on me? On us? Why did they do it? Where is Yoko? Is Kuronue okay?' Everything was too fast, too much for him to handle. Slowly, he raised a palm to his forehead to try and quell the ache that was forming there. 'Stop thinking' he told himself 'It won't do you any good.' It had never done him anything beneficial before...

At some point that night, he fell asleep, a dream forming quietly within his mind...

_::Dream Sequence:  
_"Mother?" An eight year old Suichi looked over at the woman, who sat quietly in her loveseat, hands hiding her face. He stood at the doorway, not entering until he knew it was okay. "Mother, what happened?" She raised her head, eyes red and puffy with her delicate face stained with recent tears. "Suichi," she said, voice quiet and hoarse, "Dear, come over here. I need to tell you something." She gently picked him up, setting him on her lap while trying not to look into his questioning eyes.

"Did someone pass?"

Her breath left her, staring at the young face and, for a second, she stopped crying. He wrapped his arms around her neck, "It was father, wasn't it?" "Suichi," she whispered, "Who...who told you?" The child just shook his head, "I already knew..." Slowly she returned his embrace, running her fingers through scarlet hair as the woman tried to quell her own tears, surprised at the lack of such things from her own child. "Do you...know what it means?" He nodded:

"He's not here anymore. His spirit is no longer in his body."

Shiori couldn't think of anything to say. She just hugged her son and sobbed.  
_::End Dream::_

How much time had gone by was unknown to the human as he allowed his eyes to open. It was still dark; there was moisture on his face. 'How many times have I dreamt of her, only to awake in tears?' Slowly, he wiped his cheeks with the sleeves of his shirt, looking up at the ceiling and taking deep, deliberate breaths. He sat up, ignoring the pain in his back, debating whether or not to stay in bed or go outside for fresh air. The answer came to him quickly as he put his robe on and went out into the hallway...

The cold air woke him up, the wind cutting through him and making his skin go numb. 'Good to know I can still feel something.' The scarlet-haired human slowly raised a hand to where the matches had burned him, caressed him so cruelly. He still remembered the laughter vividly; the demon that haunted him and caused him such indescribable pain. He was surprised that Yoko hadn't come back yet; that he hadn't been hunted down and beaten until he couldn't breathe enough to beg for mercy. 'It isn't wise to question good fortune' he scolded himself, tucking his feet under him as he sat on the porch and stared at the winking stars.

"Suichi?" He turned his head, looking at the apparition who stood so quietly in the doorway; he hadn't even heard the door open. "Ms Yukina," he nodded to her, then patted the spot beside him. She sat, both legs off to one side, next to him, staring at him for a few heartbeats before her ruby eyes raised to stare up at nothing; up at the inked sky and the almost-too bright moon. She finally pulled her head down, and found that the human's expression had gone from neutral to something unexplainable; he looked happy and sad and empty all at once, a hundred emotions dancing within his jade eyes. "Are you alright?" her whisper was loud enough to actually hurt his ears, having been used to the silence in that short amount of time. He sighed, his breath appearing before him, "I'm not sure," he muttered, sounding as though he was speaking to himself, "There's too much I don't understand...so much I'm so worried about it feels like it's ripping me apart." He turned to her, "Does that make sense?"

"I think so," she shifted so her entire body faced him, tucking a strand of blue-green hair behind her ear as she tried to smile at him, "You've been through a lot; it's only normal that you would be experiencing so many emotions at once." Suichi resisted the urge to sigh, disgusted at how weak he had become, at how easy it was for her to break the barriers that he had attempted to keep up. Before, it had been dangerous for him to be close to anyone; Yoko was gone now, so all precautions had gone half-way to hell. He tried to think about when, perhaps even if, the demon would return and everything would go back to the miserable state of normality that he had once been so accustomed to, so accepting of it, that it had broken him in such a way.

"Shall we return inside?" He smiled at her, helping her stand, "Freezing in a temple would not exactly be my idea of pleasantries." The ice maiden laughed, the sound melodic in the quiet. Suichi couldn't do anything but smile.

**Scene**  
"Ku-chan?" The dark-haired demon looked down at the fox, brows knitted and his teeth digging into his lip. "You should stop now," Yoko's voice was soft, words barely readable as he blurred them together in his state of sickness, "It won't do any good..." He smiled, clutching at Kuronue's vest and looking up at his mate's face, though he clearly couldn't see.

"Don't talk that way!" Kuronue whispered, voice harsh and clearly showing the distress that was a parasite within him, "Ayame will fix you." Ayame was a winged-bird demon who was well-known in the demon world for her healing, using a mix of herbs and youki to do so. Elegant white brows went downward, frustrated with his lover's stubbornness, "No. I don't need to be fixed. Can't you see that it won't help?" he smiled, a tear falling down his face, though it would not be the first, "I can't be helped..."

**Kuronue POV**  
What in the hells was he talking about? Of course he could be helped; that's what healers were for. "Yoko, you're very sick," I told him, wondering if the fever was making him think this way. He laughed and sobbed at the same time, burying his face in my chest and clutching his stomach. "Sick," he repeated, "I know that. She can't heal me, Kuronue." His nails dug into his ribcage as he sobbed against me; one arm stretched out to wrap around my neck, his slender throat moving as he swallowed. Yoko bit his trembling lower lip, "I love you, Kuronue," his voice was too quiet... "I want you to know that, before I-"

"Don't talk like that!" I snapped, noticing that my face was wet. When had I started to cry? "She's going to fix you and you're going to yell at me for taking you there and making you seem weak..." He was going to be okay, I told myself over and over again. Was I having doubts? He gave me a weak smile, his eyes unfocused; gazing right into my own.

"...Love you Kuronue."

My mouth fell open. With those three words...

...He fell still in my arms.

_God, I almost cried writing this chapter. I hope you guys liked it! I don't know how many chapters are left, but they'll probably get shorter. Please leave a review!  
--Yokocw_


	18. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER 23**

"Ayame!"

The woman looked up, startled by the sudden noise in her usually quiet part of the village. Her hair was a rather off-shade of green-blue, her eyes a shimmering purple and her lips painted blood red. She wore a simple three-layer kimono, hair tied up in a bun; feathers danged from the back.

"Kuronue!" She didn't hide her startled tone as she watched the bat demon run over with what appeared to be a white bundle in his arms. "Dear what did you kill now?" Her eyes widened when she realized it wasn't anything wrapped; it was a demon. A fox demon by the looks of it; strange, though, to see one of such light coloring... She stopped her musings when Kuronue took her arm; not enough to hurt, but it was obviously an urgent gesture, "This is Yoko," he said, breathless from the journey and the worry that was eating away at him, "I don't know what's wrong. Please take a look at him!" She held up her hands, "Alright, alright. Take him inside," she pulled the cloth to her doorway aside, "And lay him on that futon." She followed wordlessly.

The bat demon watched impatiently as she tested his nerves, touched his forehead, checked his pulse and other things he was clueless about. "Ayame, you have to know what's wrong! I can't lose him now, I just can't...!" His chest was moving in quick, rapid shudders, his breath a hiss from his throat. He was shivering and sweating, going from fevers to chills in moments; every once in a while, his eyes would open, seeing absolutely nothing before closing again.

Kuronue was sick with worry.

'Please Gods...don't let him die now...'

Scene  
The next morning was too quiet for Genkai's taste. No one was speaking, the only noise was the occasional bang as a branch hit the windows and the soft clink of Suichi rearranging the dishes...for the third time. 'What on earth is he so antsy about?' She resisted the urge to sigh as she set her cup down, still half-full, and walked quietly into her kitchen. "Suichi," she said quietly, "Why don't you go with Yukina out to the garden? Maybe you can tell me what's wrong with it." He smiled ruefully, knowing she was probably irritated with his restlessness, and gave a nod. "Of course." He opened the sliding door, revealing the ice maiden standing by the hydrangeas and shaking her head sadly at the wilting. 

The redhead, walking over, forced a smile and offered to help her. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong...

Scene  
"Kuronue?" His head snapped up, leaping to his feet from where he had been sitting on a rock to look at the healer in the face. He expected her to grin, to say he was fine; it was just food poisoning... 

Instead, she held up a canteen. "Go fill that from the river," her voice was soft, empty of any sort of emotion, "And then put these," here she handed him a few leaves, "In it. They'll dissolve by the time you get back...it should lessen his pain, and then he should slowly get better from here."

...

He let the cold water sooth the heat in his palms from where he'd clenched his fists. It was quiet here... Slowly, he screwed the top back on and stood, tying the chord to his waist and thinking about Yoko.

Kuronue's head nearly spun, thinking he was going to die from relief. He was okay...they were going to live a long, happy life together and then laugh about this afterwards.

He noticed that Ayame was standing by the doorway, her hands clenched. He stood before her, and she looked up into his eyes.

"What does he have?" There was a moment of heavy silence; the wind had stopped rustling through the lifeless leaves. Her voice was too loud when she finally spoke, "It's called Adrenoleukodystrophy... It's a genetic disorder, probably passed down from his mother."

Kuronue furrowed his brow, "What is it...exactly?"

Here, she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and trying to think of the words to use. "It's caused by a genetic mutation, which causes adrenal insufficiency; it caused neurological problems in his case; his mind basically wore away over the years," she took a moment to think of how to explain the signs, "His...thought process may have changed. He may have had blackouts, severe mood swings and violent outbreaks. I'd say he's had it for about five years. But in the last three, it's gotten to the point where it actually disrupted him." Kuronue couldn't think; that explained everything aside from the separation from Suichi itself.

"Is there..." he swallowed the lump in his throat, "What can we do?" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, "There is nothing," she whispered, "That can be done."

"How long does he have?"

There were tears on his face by then.

"...Kuronue...I'm sorry..."

Deafening silence.

"He died just a moment ago."

**Kuronue POV  
**What? ...How? How could this happen?! How could he have died when I was just... "I just saw him," I don't recall ever moving my lips, but I heard my voice, "I met him again at that bar and he was just fine! YOU SAID HE WAS OKAY!"

No...He wasn't fine. He hadn't been the same person; he was never okay. Ayame put her hand on my arm, "I'm so sorry..." I could barely hear her. It was like my ears were full of water, the blood rushing in my head and my heart beating much to hard. It hurt. "Can I..." I swallowed the nothing that was choking my, wiping my face, "Can I see him?"

She nodded gravely, walking to the creek to leave me in solitude. I pushed aside the cloth, and the sobs came.

He lay there, peacefully, on the futon, his white hair spread around him like a halo. His eyes were closed. It was like he was just sleeping; like I could take him in my arms and whisper his name and he would wake up. ...But he won't wake up.

I'll never see his beautiful golden eyes again, never hear him humming or see his grace even when in a state of panic...

I held him to my chest as I sobbed, kissing him and smoothing his hair back; he felt limp and stiff at the same time. "I'm here," I whispered, my tears wetting his hair and fox ears, "It's okay; it's okay." There wasn't anything else that came from me; no other words could be said.

"You're okay...you're okay..."

Scene  
"He's gone." 

Everyone looked up, startled at the sudden words that came from Suichi's mouth, his eyes blank and expression giving nothing away. "Who?" Yukina was the first one to speak.

"Yoko," he said calmly, "He's...gone...dead, I mean..." He didn't know what to feel. 'Should I be happy? He's not here to hurt me anymore...But what about Kuronue? ...How did Yoko die in the first place?' Far too much to ponder at one time.

"Are you alright?" Yukina questioned carefully.

He had to think about it for a moment. He would never see him again; he would never hear him screaming, never feel another bruise brought on by his hands.

The human gave a bitter smile.

"I'm okay."

sobs _I almost cried writing that! He's gone...a bitter-sweet ending? Dunno how to describe it. I hope no one drowned in tears or anything. All the medical information came from my dad's medical book. I'm pretty sure it's accurate... [yes, the repitition of the 'your okay/I'm okay' was on purpose. I hope you guys liked it...and that no one cried._


	19. Chapter 24

**Whoo! This is the final chapter before Epilogue! ...Depressing because I've been working on it so long and...ack, my baby's grown up! lol The epilogue is in progress. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

CHAPTER 24

"Suichi...how?" Yukina couldn't think of anything to say; was Suichi happy? Was this a good thing?

"I'm not sure," he was torn between laughing and screaming and crying, "I...but what about Kuronue?" Hiei pulled his sword up so it lay on his shoulder, keeping his head facing the window. Snowing...it was snowing again. Suichi put his head in his hands, "I need to go for a walk...I need to breathe." Without a word, he stood up sharply and, slipping his shoes on, slid the door open and entered the biting wind's embrace.

He smiled coldly, "...Do I have regrets...?" His voice was carried away by nature's angry breath before he could hear if he'd even spoke or thought.

He stood, hands hanging at his sides and an empty smile on his face.

"...Of course not..."

**Scene**  
Kuronue wiped his face clean, swallowing the chocking feeling in his throat as he eased his lover into the mahogany coffin; a bed where he would sleep. Oleander was woven lovingly into his matching white hair, water hemlock surrounding him like an aura. Over his hands, folded meticulously over his chest in the clichИd gesture that one would expect, lay a red rose; a startling contraction against the colorless image that they had created for his final rest. 'It's what he would have wanted' Kuronue thought to himself 'He would want to be remembered this way; everything pure and white, with one thing off. He wanted to be different; defeat what was defined as normal.' He'd definitely done that in his life...

Feeling completely numb, he patted the fresh soil down, a smooth rock placed right over the top with his name engraved. Ayame had helped with that, gods bless her. Kuronue slowly got to his knees before the grave, hands folded in a traditional prayer. 'Would it be alright to pray to Inari?' He wondered; he himself was not a fox. He spent a moment without thought, finally deciding that if he was to be damned for it, at least Yoko would be alright...

**Kuronue POV  
**...I can't sleep.  
What am I supposed to do? I feel like it's wrong for me to go home. I've been sitting beside this stone for so long, staring at his name and wondering if he's okay. I've sung to him, even though he can't hear me.

I've stopped crying; there's no tears left. He wouldn't want me to cry so much...he would tell me to move on. Always so practical...he would have told me it wouldn't do any good. But it's cold...fuck, I hate this. I hate being indecisive, feeling so vulnerable. ...I hate being alone. God damn it all! "Why did you leave?" I whisper, "What am I supposed to do without you, Kurama?!" He hated me calling him that; do I care anymore? I force my hands into fists, dirt going beneath my nails. I beat the ground, screaming curses and asking why him. Soon, there are no words; it's just noise. I let the grief and anger out, meaningless actions that will exhaust me; will there be nothing left at the end of my tirade?

It hurts...everything is just one big blur of pain as I stumble into the old cave; the place where he kept all his journals and paintings and the jewels he'd hidden away. My body hits the pile of furs, and I relax there. It doesn't smell like him anymore; it's been too long.

My throat tightens. I won't cry again...It won't help. Would anything help? A cold wind enters through the open window; I don't exert the energy to get up and close it. I don't bother wondering how long I'm going to stay in here, how long it will be before I should go and tell Suichi.

...I don't want to think about anything right now...

**Time Skip; next day**  
Kuronue sighed as he leaned against the tree; it was wet, winter morphing itself slowly into early spring as life began to overtake the Ningenkai once more; as it always had, as it always will. He didn't know what to say to the boy that was inside; he wondered of the reaction.

He didn't know how long he stood there before his feet finally moved, the rustle of the grass allowing him to hang onto reality for the moment. Each step brought him closer, made his heart beat a little faster. He didn't remember knocking on the door, but a small woman had opened it and he was thrust back into the present. "Is...Suichi here?" She nodded, blue-green hair bobbing slightly as she stepped aside, "Please come in," her voice was soft, kind; so different from most apparitions, "I'll go get him." She turned a corner, and the bat shifted from one foot to the other; he felt awkward.

"Kuronue?" Definitely Suichi's voice. The nerves got worse, attacking him from within. He took a deep breath, "Suichi...I need to tell you something." There was silence; he supposed the human had nodded, though his eyes were closed; he wouldn't know. "Yoko...is..." 'Dead. Just say it; Yoko is dead!'

"Kuronue...you don't have to," Suichi was smiling slightly, as if he didn't know what his expression was supposed to be, but he hoped this was the right one, "I know that he's gone." Was that too harsh? The demon took a sharp breath and he nodded once; was it worse saying it or hearing it?

"I'm sorry."

Kuronue wanted to laugh and cry; why did people always say that after one passed? As though it was their fault. He just prayed that the human wouldn't ask if he was okay.

There was silence. Which was worse...? The question formed in his mind again.

And, once again, he didn't have an answer...

He felt his chest tighten and he sobbed, not bothering to hate himself as he let the emotion out before the human that had been abused by the one he had loved. He'd been hurt, but...he couldn't bring himself to completely blame Yoko. He'd been ill; was that an excuse? 'I don't even know what to think anymore.'

Suichi sat there, legs folded beneath him, feeling awkward and terrible that he couldn't do anything. 'Kuronue doesn't deserve to feel this way' ...Did anyone? Was he wrong to be grateful that the demon was gone? The one who had broken him down and made his life a hell for so long that he could barely remember what came before or know what would come after...he was gone. The questions twisted themselves around in his mind; nothing made sense.

Kuronue cleared his throat, looking at the human with what was supposed to be a smile, something to hide the pain but instead showed it far too clearly. He didn't know what to say.

"Are you...going to be alright?"

The scarlet-haired human took a moment to let the question in. Okay? What did that mean? Moving on with his life was something he could do; however, he couldn't forget any of it. He would never be able to dream and not have images of blood and metal passing before his eyes.

"...I think so..."

Yukina looked up as she noted the lack of any sort of ki coming from the garden. Opening the curtain, she took in the emptiness. 'They'll be fine' she told herself.

Scene Suichi took a deep, shuddering breath as he stood before his home. He stared at the door, the brass knob and, mechanically, he turned it and entered, Kuronue behind him but at a respectable distance.

It felt...empty; stale, almost. The cracks were still in the walls from where he had connected with it on so many occasions. He closed his eyes; blood was vivid in his mind, his own screams distant but there just the same. ...He couldn't live here anymore.

Kuronue stood by the door, unsure of what to say or do; there was nothing he really could do, was there? There was too much; too many wounds that would scar and too many scars to heal. Leaning against the wall, Suichi closed his eyes and listened to the silence. The clock was still broken, the violence still evident from the shards of glass that shone artfully on the hard-wood floor.

"...Time to move on..."


	20. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

The blue toothbrush dangled from his mouth, the bristles caught between his teeth as he chewed thoughtfully on it. The radio blared in his room, orchestras full of trumpets and violins. This was normal for him now; a nightly ritual after his shower and pajama-changing. He spit into the sink, ridding the mint from his mouth and setting the plastic brush in the holder.

He raised his eyes to the mirror and stared; green eyes, red hair, pale skin. Nothing had changed. He smoothed back those stubborn strands and huffed; they still stuck up. Shaking his head, he stared intently into the green.

"...No..."

The breath came out of him in a rush, the floor tilting beneath him. He gripped the counter with white knuckles, unable to turn away.

"Y...Yoko..."

He was there, in the reflective glass; white hair and golden eyes. They shone almost...happily. "Suichi." The human pondered his sanity; the voice sounded so different. It was soft, not happy or angry. Neutrality was not something he'd expected. The smile got a little bigger, genuinely glad. The white of his hair, skin and clothes was almost too bright, but Suichi couldn't look away. Too much.

A small snapping noise...

A voice in his mind that laughed freely...

A single crack down a flawless mirror...

THE END


	21. Acknowledgments

**_The day I was born, I began to die, and the day I died was when I learned to live..._**

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS  
I would like to thank the following[no order

My reviewers:  
Bleeding Darkness Dragon  
Sesshy's Numba1 gurl  
Ladyasile  
Anna Jaganshi  
Nekoluver  
Shezka Foxe  
AnimeLvr  
Mosuke  
StupidFaith  
KuramaXhiei yaoi lover  
FangsSweetRevenge  
MelindaPotter  
SilenceNights  
My Beta Reader: Virginia  
My Friends Who Encouraged Me/Or Just Told Me Congratulations When I Mentioned A New Chapter...Initials only for privacy  
T.B  
K.H  
A.Z  
J.B  
V.S


End file.
